Source: Daily_Mail
Kolo Toure gives Sven Goran Eriksson's Ivory Coast appointment the thumbs up
International class: Kolo Toure (right) has been capped more than 70 times[LNB]Sven Goran Eriksson's appointment as Ivory Coast manager for this summer's World Cup has been given the seal of approval by Elephants defender Kolo Toure.[LNB]The Manchester City skipper has been capped more than 70 times for his country and believes under the guidance of Eriksson an exciting chapter of Ivory Coast history can be written. [LNB]Former Elephants boss Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked earlier this years when the much-fancied Ivorians crashed out the Africa Cup of Nations in the quarter finals, despite boasting a wealth of European-based talent. [LNB]The likes of Didier Drogba, Kolo's brother Yaya, Emmanuel Eboue andDidier Zokora, will now go to South Africa under the watchful eye offormer England boss Eriksson, who reached two World Cup quarter-finalswith the Three Lions.[LNB]Ironically the two sides who knockedEngland out of the 2002 and 2006 tournaments - Brazil and Portugal -have been drawn alongside Ivory Coast in Group G. North Korea completethe line-up.[LNB] However, Toure is convinced Sven, who also managed City, is the right man for the job.[LNB]'I'm very excited about it,' he said. 'I've spoken to a few people at the club who remember him from his time [at Manchester City] and I've heard lots of good things about him.[LNB]World Cup pedigree: Sven Goran Eriksson led England to two quarter-finals[LNB]'He is clearly a top manager, and he did well with England in in his time at City. I've never met him, but I am really looking forward to working with him.[LNB]'It's a big challenge for him. The team needs a bit of confidence, but we have some very good players and we just need to get a bit of belief in ourselves back. [LNB]'We needed somebody with experience with the World Cup coming up, and now we really have one, someone who has done so much in football down the years.[LNB]'He is one of the world's top managers, and with us not having much time to the World Cup we need to work with him when we can quickly and intelligently.'[LNB]The Ivorians are widely tipped to be the most successful of the African nations at the World Cup and could face England in the semi-final.[LNB] Man City make Birmingham wait until the summer for new Hart loan dealEriksson ordered to make Ivory Coast 'honourable' at the World Cup Ex-England boss Eriksson to take charge of Ivory Coast in South AfricaMANCHESTER CITY FC
