With 90 days to go until the World Cup in South Africa, the Ivory Coast still do not know who their manager is going to be. Despite media reports on Wednesday stating that the Frenchman Philippe Troussier had been appointed to lead the team this summer, the Ivory Coast Football Federation (ICFF) say they has not chosen a coach. The Ivory Coast sacked the Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic last month after the team failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations and there have been differing reports around the world on who will be "The Elephants" next manager.
The Dutch national broadcaster NOS reported that Guus Hiddink, the favourite for the job, has agreed a two-month contract before starting his job as Turkey manager, while reports from Japan said that Troussier, who has coached Nigeria, South Africa and the Ivory Coast, would lead the Ivorians at the World Cup. Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former England and Mexico manager, has also been strongly linked with the role.
But Jacques Anouma, the ICFF president, said he had met candidates "but no one has yet been chosen". Hiddink's adviser, Cees van Nieuwenhuizen, said yesterday that the Dutchman wants to end his contract with the Russian FA as soon as possible so he can consider an offer from the Ivory Coast to coach them at the World Cup. "I hope his contract situation would be settled before the end of this month or even sooner," van Nieuwenhuizen said. "We must be fair to the Ivory Coast and give them a definite answer in the next couple of weeks,"
Hiddink's contract with Russia expires on July 15, and he is set to start as Turkey's new coach from August 1. * With agencies
