The best coach of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and head coach of Côte d’Ivoire, Emerse Faé, spoke out a few hours after the friendly match between the Elephants and the Squirrels of Benin. He appeared more composed compared to other supporters.
Emerse Faé, at the helm of the Côte d’Ivoire Elephants, did not express surprise at the draw against the Squirrels of Benin. The Ivorian national team, recently crowned champions at the 2023 AFCON, was forced to share points with a Beninese squad, which is undergoing rebuilding, in a friendly encounter that ended with a 2-2 scoreline. The Ivorian coach views this result as more positive than a defeat.
According to Emerse Faé, suffering a loss would have been more damaging, especially at a time when a tribute was being paid to Max-Alain Gradel. The occasion was marked by Gradel’s final appearance as a national team player, where he undertook the role of captain with distinction. Therefore, it was imperative to avoid a loss in order to appropriately celebrate the international career of this iconic player.
“Recovery matches are often difficult, especially when you have won a major competition like the AFCON. We were aware that the match was not at all going to be easy. Additionally, there was the event for captain Max-Alain Gradel which was also important to us. So, we are happy not to have lost because that would have spoiled the celebration,” said the Elephants’ coach.