For a long time of the Cooch Hervé Fox in various selections, the coach of Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the course of his team in Cameroon.
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Thursday, January 20 in Douala, a team was born. “She only asked birth,” says Patrice Beaumelle. The coach of Côte d’Ivoire has led his men to a brilliant victory 3 goals to 1 against Algeria, african champion in title, in the last group game of the African Cup of Nations (CAN).
A “Reference match” for Elephants, according to Patrice Beaumelle. And a performance that opened them the doors of the rounds of final Wednesday, January 26, facing another major continental football nation: Egypt.
Nearly two years after arriving on the bench and two months only after the elimination of Ivorians at the race at the World 2022 in Qatar on this same plot of Douala, facing Cameroon, the coach can blow.
For a few months, this French 43-year-old Native of Arles, youngest CAN coach, was criticized by Ivorian supporters for his tactical choices and sometimes weak yield of a teaching team attractive on paper. “Before defeat against Cameroon, we had not lost for thirteen months,” wishes to recall the coach.
“This group has a soul”
To believe it, the benefits of the tournament are numerous for the collective: “With the players, this is the first time we spend as much time together outside and on the ground. Before the CAN, ON had never done more than three entire workouts because of COVID. I always felt that this group had a soul. “
Long in the shadow of the Charismatic Hervé Renard, of which he was the deputy coach from 2008 to 2019 in several selections of the continent, Patrice Beaumelle lives in Cameroon, his first great international competition as a principal coach. But the African Cup of Nations no longer has a lot of secret for him. Along Mr. Renard, he participated in six CAN and won two. With Zambia in 2012 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2015, already.
During this long period, he has threaded a few opportunities the title tunic, for Zambian Chipolopolos in 2014 and the Moroccan Atlas Lions in 2019. But these two experiences were shortened by his professional choices. In Zambia, then the lack of results in Morocco.
After the title of the Elephants in 2015, Hervé Fox sign in Lille and the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) proposes the post of coach at Patrice Beaumelle, who prefers to follow his mentor to whom he had given his word. In 2019, the paths of the two men separate. “It’s time for him to fly from his own wings,” said Hervé Renard in an interview with the world. He has already trained Zambia and he has all the qualities to be a number 1. “
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