Eriksson to coach Ivory Coast at World Cup

ABIDJAN - Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been appointed Ivory Coast coach for this year's World Cup finals, the Ivory Coast Federation (FIF) said in a statement on its website (www.fif-ci.com) on Sunday.

Notts County's director of football Sven Goran Eriksson (L) is shown to his  seat before their FA Cup replay soccer match against Wigan Athletic at the  DW Stadium in Wigan, northern England, February 2, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

The FIF said it had considered a few candidates since Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked in February after failing to lead the team to the African Nations Cup semi-finals.

"The executive committee analysed the profile of several candidates before choosing Sven-Goran Eriksson," FIF said (www.fif-ci.com).

"His mission will be to guide our team during the World Cup and to make sure it fares honourably, which will be difficult in a competition featuring the world's best 32 sides."

No details were given about the terms of Eriksson's contract.

The Ivory Coast, one of four African World Cup qualifiers to change coaches in the last nine months, have been drawn in Group G at the tournament in South Africa along with Brazil, Portugal and North Korea.

The 62-year-old Eriksson managed clubs in his native Sweden, Portugal and Italy, including AS Roma, Sampdoria and Lazio, before coaching the England national team from 2001-2006.

Under Eriksson, England were knocked out at the quarter-final stage in three successive major tournaments, the 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.

He joined Premier League Manchester City in 2007 and had an unsuccessful spell in charge of Mexico from 2008-09.

Eriksson was appointed director of football at English League Two (fourth division) club Notts County last year but stepped down in February.