High Hopes And Faint Fears Welcome Sven-Goran Eriksson To Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast’s FA yesterday put an end to weeks of fears and speculation about the potential coach for the Elephants as the clock ticks on to South Africa 2010.

The appointment of Swedish Sven-Goran Eriksson – a name Francophone Ivorians still stammer to pronounce right – comes to confirm the discreet rumours that have been animating the local press some days back.

With pain and regret still in some hearts over the failure to capture Guus Hiddink, many Ivorians may get comfort from the appointment of an alternative heavyweight coach.

The 62-year-old Eriksson, heavily robust with club and national team experience arduously collected across three decades, takes over a team many pundits say is sick with an undiagnosed ailment.

The Elephants of Ivory Coast should be a dream squad for any tactician to take, owing to their wealth of stars. It ought to be like giving a new, sharp chisel to a carpenter to work with. But what we have noticed so far is that successive coaches have been unable to carve out a reputation commensurate with the awesome line-up the team boasts of.

What’s wrong then? Sven-Goran Eriksson’s biggest task will be to answer that question, within the short time he will be sojourning in the Ivory Coast.

New to Africa, the former England and Mexico coach will have to adapt to the work climate where national coaches are sometimes subjected to pressures not only from the FA but the government. And also, to face fans who won't be able to comprehend when things don’t go right as soon as they want.

Placed in Group G alongside Brazil, Portugal and North Korea, Ivory Coast may need a miracle to survive the group stage, and that miracle may descend from above via the new messiah that the west African nation has just acquired.

Well, the FA puts it clear to Eriksson: “Make us fare honourably at the World Cup. Even if we fail, it shouldn’t be a humiliating one.” No fan on the streets of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s capital wants to hear that.

The people yearn to see the Didier Drogba-led squad pound on and pierce Brazil and Portugal and advance as far as they can. "No need paying Eriksson millions if he’ll be there only not to make us fail woefully".

But the former Goteborg, Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio coach is equal to the task. Eriksson’s 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004 adventures with reputable soccer nation England, guarantee some indestructible arms he can count on to accomplish his mission at South Africa 2010 with Ivory Coast.

After diagnosing the Elephants' 'cancer', Eriksson will have to tackle the known gems such as lack of fighting spirit, weak defence, dispersing midfield and an attack already fully studied by a number of football teams.

Secondly, Eriksson will have to impose his charming personality to bring unity and cohesion to a divided Ivorian team. The pro-Drogbas and the pro-Yaya Toures ought to bow for the new coach and with hearts open, imbibe and execute his directives.

Eriksson’s success in Ivory Coast does not wholly depend on him, his destiny here partly lies in the hands of the FA, the players and the fans.