Duro Ikhazuagbe
8 January 2008
Lagos — Super Eagles' main obstacle in Group B of Ghana 2008, the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire have had a spanner thrown into their preparations following the sudden departure of their German coach Ulrich Stielike.
The former World Cup winner departed Abidjan barely four days after announcing his team to face the Super Eagles in 13 days time in Sekondi.
Stielike, who took over from Henri Mitchel after the Elephants returned from their debut at the World Cup in German in 2006, is reported not to be in the right 'frame of mind' to lead the Ivoriens to Ghana 2008 after his son lapsed into coma just few hours after he announced his team for the African football fiesta.
The Ivorien Football Federation, (FIF) in confirming the family crisis that has now stopped the German from Ghana 2008, announced in his place former Bordeaux and Marseille boss Gerard Gili.
Gili, who has been with Cote d'Ivoire since 2004 and will oversee their Olympic campaign at the Beijing Olympics this year, was assistant coach during the Cup of Nations campaign in Egypt in 2006 where they defeated the Super Eagles in the semi final via Didier Drogba's lone strike in Alexandra and eventually lost to the host nation in the final.
The Elephants are currently training in Kuwait as preparation for the 2008 edition, which begins on January 20 in Ghana.
Cote d'Ivoire has been drawn in Group B along with Nigeria, Mali and Benin.
The only time that the Ivoriens have won the Cup (Senegal '92), Yeo Martial, an indigenous coach led the Elephants in the campaign which saw them triumph over favourites Nigeria and Cameroon.
Without doubt, Cote d'Ivoire with array of quality players like Didier Drogba, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Eboue, Didier Zokora, Salomon Kalou, Yaya Toure and a host of other star acts in the Premiership and other top European leagues, are been tipped along with Nigeria to lead the Group B into the knock out stage where anything is possible.
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