By Fredrick Nadulli aka Razor,
Cote d’Ivoire head back to Equatorial Guinea with nagging memories at the back of their minds.The Elephants are yet to forget that eventful night in Libreville in 2013,when captain Didier Drogba blasted his penalty into the Gabonese sky to let eventual champions Zambia off the hook in the final.It was the closest they had come in recent years after decades of heartache and near misses,and there was no let-off that time either.
DROGBA OUT,BONY IN
For the first time in nearly twenty years,Ivory Coast will play without talismanic striker Didier Drogba.The former skipper called time on his chequered international career prior to qualification for the nations’ cup,after years of loyal service.His assistant and namesake Didier Zokora went the same route.
Both players represented a golden generation that took over from the likes of Joel Tiehi,Abdoulaye ‘Ben Badi’ Traore and Ibrahima Bakayoko,but that really won nothing for Africa’s top cocoa producing nation.
The Drogba generation was littered with stars turning out for top European sides but lacked the camaraderie of the former teams that drew players largely from top Abidjan side Asec.
The squad heading to Malabo is not short of big names nonetheless.Wilfried Bony leads the attack,bouyant after his big money move to Manchester City from Swansea went through.Boubacar ‘Coppa’ Barry is still the preferred man between the sticks,one of the best goalkeepers after Alain Gouamene who played in eight Afcon tourneys.
Liverpool’s Kolo Abib Toure marshals the backline in what will go down as his last international assignment.In midfield the Elephants have Cheick Tiote and newly crowned African footballer of the year Yaya Toure in what is undoubtedly the team’s strongest department.Keen observers opine that when Yaya is in business,so too are the Elephants.He is the engine of the Ivorian midfield.If he fires,everything is possible for the team.
On the flanks Gervais Yao Kouassi,better known as Gervinho,and Salomon Kalou are available,both wingers coming hot on the heels of some splendid club displays in Italy and Germany respectively.
In essence,the core of the team remains intact.Drogba’s shadow looms large over them but they should be able to step out of it.
NEW MAN AT THE HELM
Perhaps as a sign of good omen this time round,the team will be handled by popular coach Herve Renard.The Frenchman has had a taste of Afcon glory before,when he led Zambia in Equatorial Guinea/Gabon 2013.Charismatic and crafty,he enjoyed relative success with the virtually unknown Zambians and it remains to be seen whether his midas touch will rub off the star studded West Africans.
It is now or never for the Elephants.Anything short of the trophy will definitely take a psychological toll on this team that has tripped at the final hurdle many a time.Its redemption time.
