Herve Renard outlines Cote d’Ivoire plans as he begins second spell

Herve Renard says Cote d’Ivoire have the quality to become “a very good team” after returning as head coach on a two-year contract.

The Frenchman previously led the Elephants in 2014 and 2015, guiding them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2015. His immediate priority this time will be securing qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Cote d’Ivoire’s first two qualifying matches are scheduled for September, against Ghana and Somalia. The group also includes Gambia, who Renard described as a team that has continued to improve in recent years.

“On paper, it is a manageable group, but we will need to show a great deal of concentration and determination,” Renard said in an exclusive interview with Africafoot.

Ghana are expected to provide the strongest opposition. They missed the most recent Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco but produced a respectable campaign at the World Cup and still possess a number of high-quality players.

Renard admitted he knows less about Somalia, who cannot host matches because of security concerns, but said his staff would work to understand the team better. He also warned that the gap between Africa’s leading nations and those traditionally considered smaller has narrowed.

“In Africa, many small nations have progressed, and no match is easy anymore,” he said.

Renard intends to base himself in Abidjan, while continuing to monitor players competing in Europe. The Portuguese league has already started, while other European championships are preparing to resume, and several Cote d’Ivoire internationals will also be involved in European cup competitions.

He plans to contact the players directly and will travel to Europe when necessary to meet them in person. He said the recruitment process could also include dual-nationality players currently based there.

The new coach believes the squad is in a strong position because it is not experiencing the end of a cycle. The only senior player to have ended his international career is Jean Michael Seri, who had been an important figure in midfield, where Renard feels there are fewer alternatives.

The group is otherwise largely young, supported by a number of more experienced players. Franck Kessie is the only current member Renard already knows from his first spell in charge, having made his international debut during that period.

Renard also expects Ousmane Diomande to develop significantly. The defender is a talented and unusual player, particularly noted for his dribbling ability.

Much attention has surrounded Diomande’s reported move to Real Madrid and the €125m fee involved, but Renard said the player should not be judged for the size of the transfer.

“What interests me is what he can bring to the national team,” he said.

Diomande impressed at the World Cup. Only 18 months earlier, he was relatively unknown while playing for Leganes in Spain. Since then, he has enjoyed a successful spell with Leipzig in Germany and established himself as an international, although Renard believes his development is far from complete.

The coach said it was encouraging that several Cote d’Ivoire players were joining leading clubs in Europe’s strongest leagues, arguing that their progress could benefit the national side.

“I have a very high-quality squad at my disposal,” Renard said. “Now we will try to move Cote d’Ivoire from being a good team to being a very good team.”

A home friendly against another African nation is also being considered. Renard said preparations were under way and that such a match would give him the opportunity to provide playing time to some players while assessing others.

He has already received messages from members of the team that won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, including Serey Die, Wilfried Bony, Copa Barry and Max-Alain Gradel. Some of those former internationals live in, or regularly visit, Abidjan, and Renard hopes to see them again.

The 56-year-old said he retained strong connections in Cote d’Ivoire despite spending only one year there previously. He is pleased to return and believes there is significant work to do, with two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments ahead.

However, Renard insists the focus must remain on the next task rather than the 2027 finals.

“We have ambition, with two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments to come,” he said. “But before talking about the 2027 finals, we must do things in the right order, starting with qualification.”