Reports in Italy suggest former Irish boss Giovanni Trapattoni will take charge of our tricolour brothers from Africa, the Ivory Coast, but only after the World Cup in Brazil.
Italian media are claiming the 74-year-old has reached agreement with the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football (FIF) to take charge of ‘The Elephants’ and succeed French coach Sabri Lamouchi, 42.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport a deal was reached yesterday – for up to four years – after two-weeks of negotiations. Trapattoni will be set the goal of winning the African Cup of Nations and reach the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
Trap will begin working with the Ivorian youth teams so as not to disturb the preparations of Lamouch, and will take charge following the World Cup.
There was some speculation that the multiple title-winning club coach would take the reins in Brazil, but not according to La Gazetta. On the eve of the 2010 World Cup, the Ivory Coast sacked Vahid Halilhodzic to make way for Sven Goran Eriksson.
Earlier this month, Trap revealed he had received several job offers since leaving the Republic hot-seat, with one believed to have come from a South American national team. It’s unclear if assistant Marco Tardelli will follow him in his new role.
The Ivory Coast are the highest-ranked African country at the World Cup and face Colombia, Greece, and Japan in Group C.