World Cup 2010 Team Spotlight – Ivory Coast
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The WORLD CUP FINALS had their final draw on Dec 4th, 2009. 32 teams were picked out of their respective pots and we now know the matchups for World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Need predictions for Ivory Coast?
From the Coach
Analysis from the coach: “The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.” Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson
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The Ivory Coast may have the best chance for an African team to win the World Cup. But they sure didn’t get a lot of help in the draw. In 2006, the Elephants were drawn into a group alongside Argentina and the Netherlands.
This time? They must have felt slightly undone when drawn into the ‘Group of Death’ alongside Brazil and Portugal.
Group G: Brazil, Ivory Coast, North Korea, and Portugal
FIFA Ranking: 27
Ivory Coast Odds to win World Cup: +3300
Matchups:
June 15 vs. Portugal
June 20 vs. Brazil
June 25 vs. North Korea
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But even with the tough draw and some coaching turmoil, Côte d’Ivoire appears plenty capable of a deep run.
Can the country’s golden generation of players finally produce on the world stage? They will need some luck to reach the second round.
There has been a lot of shuffling and commotion on the Ivory Coast coaching staff. Bosnian boss Vahid Halilhodzic took the reins of his first national side when he assumed control of Côte d’Ivoire after the 2008 CAF African Cup of Nations. After a disappointing quarterfinal finish at Angola 2010, he was immediately replaced.
After short coaching stints from Guus Hiddink and Bernd Schuster, current head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was given the helm just months before the start of this year’s finals. This will be Eriksson’s third FIFA World Cup after leading England to the quarterfinals at both the 2002 and 2006 finals. He has international experience coaching Mexico and is a vastly experienced club coach, having led Gothenburg to the UEFA Cup in 1982, and leading teams in Portugal, England and Italy.
He will have at his disposal a pile of world-class international talent throughout the starting XI. Beginning with Chelsea striker Didier Drogba. Drogba has become one of the very best strikers on the planet, scoring 84 goals for Chelsea since moving to Stamford Bridge in 2004.
His 37 goals across all competitions in 2010 were the best of his career, and vital in Chelsea’s double. He will be aided by fellow Blues teammate, Salomon Kalou, who despite criticism is still a potent striker.
Other European stars include midfielder Yaya Toure of Arsenal and Sevilla’s Didier Zokora. They have more than 120 caps between them, and should help support Drogba and Kalou.
With some definite uncertainty in goal, the Elephants’ veteran defense will need to be rock solid. Manchester City captain –and longtime Arsenal man – Kolo Toure will hold the center of the defense together.
The Côte d’Ivoire breezed through qualifying without losing a single match, running away with their final qualifying group ahead of Burkina Faso, Malawi and Guinea.
Fans have seemingly jumped off the Ivory Coast bandwagon after the last minute coaching change of Sven Goran Erikssson. What fans don’t seem to remember is that he took England to consecutive World Cup quarterfinals.
As for the Elephants, their roster is in their prime and the time is now. With Portugal’s roster looking a bit shaky, the Ivory Coast definitely has the quality to reach the knockout stage.
However, I see Ghana being the last African team standing.
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Matt Martz is a sportswriter for the Bakersfield Californian located in Central California. “ Football (soccer) is a game in which a handful of fit men run around for one and a half hours watched by millions of people who could really use the exercise.”
