<p>Africa Cup of Nations host Ivory Coast learned it was advancing to the round of 16 after its games in the group stage ended. Before them, the African side sacked manager Jean-Louis Gasset. Following their ignominious 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) axed Gasset and his assistant.</p>



<p><a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/hosts-ivory-coast-can-win-2023-afcon-says-former-star-kalou-20220419-CMS-380606.html">Ivory Coast</a> has never suffered such a crushing home loss. The Elephants’ chances of advancing to the last 16 were severely diminished after the defeat. Interim coach Emerse Fae will replace the 70-year-old Gasset, who was sacked for “insufficient results,” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federationivoiriennedefootball" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to a statement</a>.</p>



<p>“The Federation Ivoirienne de Football expresses its regrets for the performance of the Elephants during the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/africa-cup-of-nations-games-to-watch-20240108-WST-480961.html">group phase of the AFCON 2023</a>. However, it remains convinced of the potential of our football team and calls for the unity of all for the upcoming events,” they said.</p>



<h2>How did Ivory Coast fare in AFCON Group Stage?</h2>



<p>With a 2-0 victory against Guinea-Bissau and a 1-0 loss to Nigeria, Ivory Coast ended with three points in Group A after the pool round. After 48 hours, however, they were able to secure a spot among the top third-place teams when Morocco beat Zambia.</p>



<p>In the round of 16, they will meet Senegal, the reigning champions who have won every game. In May 2022, the federation named Gasset as coach, and he went on to win 10 of his 17 matches. He replaced Patrice Beaumelle, and the Ivory Coast demanded better results than failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup and elimination in the round of 16 at AFCON 2021. Gasset failed to live up to the requirements.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240126_WST_485718_Ivory-Coast-France-women-1200x670_c775b331.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-485752" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Ivory-Coast-France-women-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Ivory-Coast-France-women-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Ivory-Coast-France-women-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/01/Ivory-Coast-France-women.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h2>What did Herve Renard say of his possible move to the Ivory Coast?</h2>



<p>Several sources state that the Ivory Coast FA sought to get the services of Herve Renard on loan for the duration of the competition. The 55-year-old is the current coach of the French women’s side.</p>



<p>After his stellar 2015 season, Ivory Coast were eager to have Renard back on their team. However, deal-making discussions with the French federation were unsuccessful.</p>



<p>For Renard, “the negotiations did not finish favorably” while speaking to <a href="https://twitter.com/CanalplusFoot/status/1750630510177489238" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canal Plus</a>. “It’s because it shouldn’t have been. I’d have loved it but fate chose otherwise,” he added.</p>



<p>The Frenchman’s ties to Les Bleues will continue to the Paris Olympics this year. Next month, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/france-national-team-tv-schedule/">France</a> will also play in a crucial Nations League semi-final, therefore the FFF turned down the Ivorian proposal.</p>



<p>Ivory Coast will face holders Senegal next, and they were hoping Renard would lead their team again. However, all things considered, Fae will continue to lead the team on Monday.</p>



<p>No official statement has come out of the Ivorian Football Federation about this issue. Ivorians still remember Renard fondly as the man who guided their national team to a second African Cup victory. </p>



<p>After guiding Zambia to victory in 2012, this was his second championship. Before he took over the French women’s team last year, he guided Saudi Arabia to an unexpected World Cup triumph against Argentina, the eventual winner.</p>



<p><em>PHOTOS: IMAGO</em></p>

Ivory Coast aim to get France Women's coach on loan

After sacking coach Jean-Louis Gasset, host country Ivory Coast has turned to Herve Renard to lead the side in the last 16 of Afcon 2023.


<p>The French Football Federation has <a href="https://www.fff.fr/article/9986-herve-renard-nouveau-selectionneur-des-bleues.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> that Herve Renard has been named head coach of the France women’s team. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/saudi-arabia-herve-renards-halftime-speech-is-incredible-20221126-WST-410075.html">Renard</a> previously stepped down from his position with the Saudi Arabian men’s team earlier in the week. The Frenchman led Saudi Arabia to a <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/saudi-arabia-stun-argentina-in-world-cup-classic-20221122-WST-409426.html">massive upset against Argentina</a> in the 2022 World Cup. Despite the victory, Renard could not take the Middle Eastern team to the knockout round of the tournament.</p>



<h5>Frenchman always wanted to lead Les Bleues </h5>



<p>“I have had a look at women’s football since 2014 through the major competitions,” Renard <a href="https://www.fff.fr/article/9994-herve-renard-une-question-de-challenge-.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> during a press conference on Friday. “The French teams, like Olympique Lyonnais, who reigned for a long time in the Coupe d’Europe and the matches of the French team.&nbsp;I had in the back of my mind the idea of ​​participating in a major competition with Les Bleues.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Hervé Renard half-time speech that changed the course for Saudi Arabia against  Argentina  ❤ <a href="https://t.co/inIzi3JtCD">pic.twitter.com/inIzi3JtCD</a></p>— GOAL Africa (@GOALAfrica) <a href="https://twitter.com/GOALAfrica/status/1596504045602103298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>“I had spoken to a few relatives about it, it may have surprised them but for me, it is a question of challenge.&nbsp;In my job, there is nothing better than experiencing competitions rather than long qualifying phases.&nbsp;We are served because the World Cup is coming quickly and in a year, the Olympic Games in Paris are looming.&nbsp;There is a quality group and all together we are capable of doing great things.”</p>



<p>Other names to step into the French women’s job included <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/henry-rejects-france-womens-team-wants-usmnt-job-20230317-WST-423620.html">Thierry Henry</a>.</p>



<h2>New coach Renard recalls key duo from old regime to French women’s team</h2>



<p>In his first bit of business at the helm, Renard recalled Wendie Renard (no relation) and Eugenie Le Sommer. Wendie Renard previously stepped away from the national team while Corinne Diacre was still head coach of France. However, now that Diacre has been sacked, the defender will now enter the fray once again. Le Sommer is the team’s all-time leading scorer.</p>



<p>“I always have the habit of warning interested parties before speaking to the press.&nbsp;I will have a discussion with Wendie Renard,” the new head coach claimed. “There are a lot of qualities, of dynamism to do very beautiful things.&nbsp;The staff and I are very motivated.&nbsp;We can achieve great things in football if we are united, if we have a remarkable state of mind, so that’s what I’m going to focus on.”</p>



<p>Renard will now have to prepare for two friendly matches in early April. The French are set to host Colombia and Canada before going to the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/womens-world-cup-tv-schedule/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Women’s World Cup</a> in July. France is currently <a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/women?dateId=ranking_20230324" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ranked fifth in the world</a> by FIFA.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire</em></p>


Herve Renard has been named head coach of the French women's national soccer team after coaching Saudi Arabia at the men's World Cup in 2022.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Herve Renard"

AFCON

Ivory Coast aim to get France Women's coach on loan

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Renard named French women’s head coach before World Cup