IVORIAN FA ANNOUNCE HERVE RENARD AS THE NEW COACH OF COTE D'IVOIRE

The Ivorian FA has announced Frenchman Herve Renard as the new coach of Cote d'ivoire national team on Thursday, succeeding fellow countryman Sabri Lamouchi, who resigned his position after they failed to progress from the group stage at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Frenchman Herve Renard has been named the new coach of Cote d'ivoire national team

Renard, 45, led Zambia to the 2012 CAF African Nations Cup title and was most recently coach of Sochaux, leaving in late May after confirmation of their relegation from French Ligue 1.

He was selected from a three-man shortlist which also included former Sporting and Benfica coach Jose Manuel De Jesus from Portugal and Frederic Antonetti, who formerly coached French side Rennes.

A statement from the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF-CI) on Twitter read: "Herve Renard will be the new coach of the national team of Cote d'Ivoire."

Many locals and editorialists had rooted for Ivorian Francois Zahoui, whose application was kicked out in the first phase of screening along with 32 other candidates who applied for the job.

“Zahoui was the clear choice of many Ivorians because he had a wonderful run at the 2012 Afcon,” Serge Kanga, editor-in-chief of sports daily Fanon told supersport.com.

“They have just brought in another foreign hand, who has been given objective to win titles. But what we really need is the development of our grassroots football and Zahoui was the best person because he knows the land in and out,” he said.

  The FA president said Renard had the best project and salary proposal and that it was the      best choice for the team .

Renard will face the challenge of reconditioning a waning team with aging players, a critical media and local fans, who are increasingly despondent about the future of their national team.

Renard signed a two-year contract which could be renewed depending on his performance, according to the Ivorian FA president Augustin Sidy Diallo.