Mali appoint Frenchman Patrice Carteron as coach

Jul 13, 2012 5:30:00 PM

The former Dijon manager succeeds compatriot Alain Giresse at the helm of the Eagles and has been tasked with qualifying the team to the 2013 Afcon and 2014 Fifa World Cup

The Mali Football Federation has named Frenchman Patrice Carteron as new coach three months after parting ways with Alain Giresse, who led the Eagles to the bronze at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon)

The 41-year-old former defender and Dijon coach signed a two-year deal with the main objective of helping the outfit to qualify for the 2013 Afcon and 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Carteron retired from active football in 2007 after playing for a number of French sides including Stade Rennais, Olympique Lyonnais, Saint Etienne and Cannes. He also spent a brief spell at Sunderland in 2001.

His baptism of fire with the Malian team will take place on September 7 in Bamako against Botswana in the 2013 Afcon final round qualifying round.

Under caretaker coach Pathe Diallo, Mali lost to Benin 1-0 and defeated Algeria 2-1 in the 2014 World Cup qualifying last June, to sit third in Group H.

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