The Ivorian Football Federation has confirmed Emerse Fae as the substantive head coach of the senior national team of Cote D'Ivoire after guiding them to clinch their third Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title earlier this month.
Fae was on Monday, February 19, 2023 named for the top position on permanent basis after serving as a stop-gap coach during the recently ended AFCON.
"Emerse was until now interim coach and has just been confirmed today as full coach," the Ivoirian federation boss Idriss Diallo said.
The Elephants were facing elimination when they fired veteran French coach Jean-Louis Gasset in January after winning just one of their three group games.
The next day, results fell the hosts' way and they squeezed through as the last of the four best third-placed teams. Fae, a former Ivorian international who had never coached before, took over.
Fae oversaw an incredible turnaround.
In the last 16, the Ivorians came from behind to beat holders Senegal on penalties. Then, playing much of the match with 10 men, they came from behind to beat Mali in extra time in the quarterfinals.
After beating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in the last four, they came from behind once more to beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final and lift the trophy.
