The coach of the senior national team of Ivory Coast Jean-Louis Gasset was keen on becoming the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria in 2020, when they were doubts over extending the stay of then coach Gernot Rohr.
Gasset was proposed to the hierarchy of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) under Amaju Pinnick as a possible option in the event that Rohr wasn’t handed an extension. The coach didn’t deny his interest in the job when he was asked by French newspaper L’Equipe.
“At 50, I was put off by the idea (of coaching a national team),” the then 66-year-old Gasset reportedly said.
“Not enough work; but today, yes, I would like it.
“I would like to become a national team coach, discover youngsters, converse with the major players, build a squad up in record time, experience the rush that matches give you, then the competition, the euphoria of managing a country and understand why, when French people succeed, they are called ’White Wizards’.
Rohr was later handed an extension putting an end to the dream of Gasset, and by the time the coach was fired he wasn’t among the candidates shortlisted for the job, which was later handed to Jose Peseiro.
Now at the helm of the host of the AFCON, the 70 year old is now saddled with the task of beating the Super Eagles on Thursday, when they clash in the second group game of the tournament.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
