Gasset fired as Ivorians wait for fate at Africa Cup of Nations

Ivorian football chiefs on Wednesday sacked the national football team head coach Jean-Louis Gasset despite his players having a slim chance of qualification for the knockout stages at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Jean-Louis Gasset (right) was sacked as hed coach of Cote d'Ivoire as the team waited to find out whether it had qualified for the last-16 as one of the best third-placed sides. AFP - ISSOUF SANOGO

The Ivorian federation, FIF, said it was terminating the contract of the 70-year-old Frenchman and his assistant Ghislain Printant for insufficient results in accordance to the contract of objectives they had with the FIF.

Gasset, who has coached for more than 35 years in France and Spain, took over in Cote d'Ivoire from Patrice Beaumelle in May 2022.

Though the appointment raised many eyebrows locally, his vast experience which included a stint as assistant coach to the France national team, won him breathing space to develop a talented group of players and inject calm as the hype and pressure mounted in the prelude to the Cup of Nations.

But his monotone demeanour failed to impress at the outset of the continent's most prestigious football tournament. Critics were appeased following a 2-0 opening day win over Guinea Bissau.

Change

Doubts resurfaced when Cote d'Ivoire lost a close match to Nigeria on 18 January but the blades were unsheathed when the team collapsed four days later against Equatorial Guinea who thrashed them 4-0 to take first place in Group A ahead of Nigeria on goal difference.

The humiliation in front of thousands of startled partisans condemned the Ivorians to a tense wait for the other groups to finish before finding out whether they could advance to the last-16 knockout stages at their own party as one of the four best third-placed teams.

The hosts need Morocco to beat Zambia in San Pedro. If the Zambians draw, they will take the fourth berth.

The former Cote d'Ivoire midfielder Emerse Faé will steer the side of the team should they gain a reprieve.

Just a few hours before Gasset's departure was announced, the Ghana football association said head coach Chris Hughton would leave.

On Monday night, Ghana finished third in Group B. They held second place in the pool while leading 2-0 against Mozambique.

But they conceded two goals in second-half stoppage-time and the draw left them with two instead of four points and elimination along with Mozambique.

Any outside hope they had of a place in the last-16 as one of the four best third-placed finishers evaporated on Tuesday with results in Groups C and D.

“The football association's executive council has also taken a decision to dissolve the technical team of the Black Stars,” said a GFA statement.

“We will in the coming days provide a roadmap on the future direction of the Black Stars."

Ghana were eliminated at the end of the group stages of the 2021 Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Between 2008 and 2017, Ghana produced one of the most consistent teams on the continent. They reached six consecutive semi-finals and were beaten finalists in 2010 and 2015.