| It is a
strange story of 'second chance' for Côte d'Ivoire as their first
matches 2002 will exactly be what their first two matches 2000
had been: Togo and Cameroon. Chanceless against Cameroon, a probably lenient
approach against Togo had costed the Elephants two valuable points then
and brought them the famous short detention in a military camp as they
returned home despite a flamboyant third match aginst Ghana which left
them a goal short of qualifying for the quarter finals.
The magicians, will
they find inspiration again? They have been playing some of the most exciting
football in some matches of the past decade but they have disappointed
a number of times as well as it is quite normal for a team that relies
so much on the inspiration of their artists and the disciplined hidden
work which is indispensable to back it.
They will have to find
the right team composition, at least they have been for almost two years
now with the same coach, Ivorian Lama Bamba.
Nothing natural - the Elephants
arrive with a new coach for every Nations Cup, even after their victory
1992, so no coach can build up on the gathered experiences.
Of course Côte
d'Ivoire is famous for their flamboyant attackers like the all time Nations
Cup legend Laurent Pokou or the great Joel Tiehi.
And todays stars do not
need to hide: Ibrahima Bakayoko (Marseille) and Bonaventure Kalou (Feyenoord)
will be supported by huge talents Abdel Kader Keita (Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia)
and Aruna Dindane (Anderlecht) who is the youngster from the famous teenager
football school of ASEC Abidjan which has made the biggest step into European
professional football yet.
But he is not the only
player from the famous ASEC school. Alone from that legendary group of
12 teenagers who provided one of the biggest shocks in African club history
in February 1999, not less than 8(!) are included in the 2002 squad for
Mali: 'Copa' (Barry Boubacher) (here as back up keeper, he is now under
contract at Rennes), 'Kolo' (Abib Touré) (still ASEC), 'Maestro'
(Degui Alain Zakaria) (Genk, Belgium), 'Junior' (Abdoulaye Djire) (still
ASEC), 'Gyapi' Gilles Yapo (Beveren, Belgium), 'Badjan' Seydou Kante (still
ASEC), Siaka Tiene (then ''Chico') (still ASEC), and Aruna Dindane.
On that day a renovated
ASEC side, entirely made up of teenagers from that school had defeated
a full size star studded Espérance Tunis in the African Supercup
final.
(for German readers only:
a story made of the match in Bundesligaskandal)
Much will depend on
whether the Ivorians find a fluent passing game as in the West African
heat the ball is the best runner. . |
