Michel Dussuyer, the French coach, left the Guinea national team after the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, where they failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals. At that time, he cited a desire to dedicate more time to his family as the reason for his departure.
Returning to coach Guinea in 2010, Dussuyer aimed to bring more dynamism to the Syli National squad. The team comprises players largely based in a modest European championship, lacking the same presence in major foreign leagues as some of their African counterparts.
Dussuyer acknowledged the challenge Guinea faces in terms of the limited number of players in top foreign championships, unlike teams such as Ivory Coast, Nigeria, or Cameroon. He emphasized that despite this, with good team spirit and solidarity, Guinea can compete with supposedly stronger teams. He drew inspiration from the successes of Egypt and Zambia in the Africa Cup of Nations, highlighting the importance of unity in achieving success.
Since Dussuyer’s return, Guinea has experienced mixed results, leading to fluctuations in FIFA rankings. While the team occupied the 45th place in 2011, it regressed to the 85th position at the beginning of 2013. The coach remains optimistic about Guinea’s potential and sees examples from other African teams as a source of inspiration for his squad.
