This paper is an updated version of the portrait of Emerse Faé published on January 29.
There are birthdays that we don't forget. The day Emerse Faé celebrated his 40th birthday, January 24, he was named interim coach of Côte d'Ivoire to replace Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant – dismissed from their positions for "insufficient results" in full swing. African Cup of Nations.
Two days earlier, the Elephants were humiliated at home by Equatorial Guinea (4-0) and no longer had their qualification in hand. Finally, on the same January 24, Morocco's victory against Zambia (1-0) sent the Ivorians to the round of 16 of CAN 2024.
With the successful course that we have known since: successive victories against Senegal, Mali, DR Congo and finally against Nigeria in the final. Not sure that the rookie coach would have counted on such an outcome when he took office before the knockout matches.
Read also: Ivory Coast wins its CAN by overthrowing Nigeria in the final
Emerse Faé looked happy after the final won against the Super Eagles. The Ivory Coast coach did not mince his words about the Elephants' successful journey: "It's more than a fairy tale, I still have trouble realizing that we did it, when I think of everything we've been through. We're miracles, we went to get it, the cup, because we didn't give up. We fought to the end, we were able to come back hard knocks."
The coach has come a long way with his group. During his first press conference, on January 28, he did not hide behind his little finger, aware that the Ivorians had qualified by "going through the back door". And he warned: “We must show another face to the Ivorian people.”
The mission which then seemed impossible has been fully accomplished. But contrary to appearances, Emerse Faé did not start out of nowhere with Côte d'Ivoire. He explained on January 28: "Contrary to what people may believe, I didn't only have three days to prepare for the match, the fact that I know the group saves me a lot of time. It's a group that I have known for a year and a half. I know the words and behaviors to change their state of mind." The message clearly got across in the weeks that followed.
Also read “It’s spoiled!” : in Ivory Coast, the jubilation does not subside the day after the coronation of the Elephants
From the Sinama-Pongolle generation - Le Tallec
Born in Nantes in 1984, Emerse Faé joined the Canaris training center in 1995, where he attended for eight years until his first professional contract. “He was trained at the beautiful Nantes school,” remembers journalist Xavier Barret, consultant for France 24, who also worked with him on the sets of Canal+ Africa.
Before discovering the professional world, the midfielder made his international debut with the Bleuets, totaling 10 selections from U16 to U21 between 2001 and 2004. His record includes a U17 world champion title won in 2001 alongside a golden generation composed in particular of Florent Sinama-Pongolle, Anthony Le Tallec, Mourad Meghni and Jacques Faty.
“He is part of that generation. But out of twenty, only one became international A: Florent Sinama-Pongolle,” recalls Xavier Barret.
While he played at FC Nantes, where he played 126 matches between 2003 and 2007, Emerse Faé turned to the Ivorian selection and honored his first cap on March 27, 2005 against Benin (3-0 victory). From then until 2012, he wore the colors of the Elephants 44 times – scoring one goal.
119. I remember Emerse #Faé. He made up a young and promising duo, formed at #FCN Nantes, with Jeremy #Toulalan. Faé then joined #OGC Nice then stopped his career for health reasons. World champion with France in youth then international Ivory Coast. pic.twitter.com/urrajzw0w2
— In Football, always chosen last (@foot_je) October 10, 2018
After Nantes, he had a timid stint in England at Reading FC in 2007 (11 matches), before being loaned to OGC Nice the following year and then being permanently transferred there. He played nearly 100 matches with the Aiglons and ended up ending his career in 2012 due to repeated phlebitis. At only 27 years old.
But the newly retired didn't waste a minute and quickly became a coach. He joined the OGC Nice training center in 2012 and successively coaches the U17s then the U19s. In 2021, he left the Aiglons and coached the Clermont Foot reserve team for a season.
“Emerse Faé has real coaching experience”
“He is passionate about football. He quickly moved towards training young people, he is truly a man of the field,” explains Xavier Barret. “When the opportunity to join the Ivory Coast presented itself to be Jean-Louis Gasset’s deputy, he did not hesitate to try the adventure.”
"Emerse, he gets up coaching, he eats coaching and he sleeps coaching. Everything is based on coaching", also underlined to L'Équipe Abdoulaye Meïté, the former Marseille player close to the Ivory Coast coach.
For Xavier Barret, "he was the ideal man on the ground" for Jean-Louis Gasset and Ghislain Printant, who could not call on Didier Drogba, competitor of the president of the Ivorian federation, nor the Touré brothers, who coach in England .
The rest of the story, we know it: the assistant was promoted to interim coach of the Ivory Coast after the Ivorians' complicated start to the competition. Despite the Hervé Renard rumor appearing in the media, it is Emerse Faé who will be on the Elephants bench against Senegal and during the following matches.
Read alsoGradel, Seri, Fofana, Haller, Ndicka: the five key Ivorian players of CAN 2024
From the costume of a novice, he quickly took on that of savior of the country with tactical choices that paid off: against Senegal and Mali, the three goals for Côte d'Ivoire were scored by three players who entered during the match.
The coach will also start players who will change the face and the game of the Elephants, like Max-Alain Gradel and Jean-Michaël Seri. Emerse Faé will also benefit from choices made by... Jean-Louis Gasset before CAN 2024, when he selected Sébastien Haller and Simon Adingra while they were injured. These two attackers ultimately played key roles in the knockout matches.
After the final victory of Côte d'Ivoire, Emerse Faé also paid tribute to his predecessor "by congratulating Jean-Louis (Gasset), because it is also his victory".
The Elephants' twisted competition has surely caused emotional upheavals for the new coach several times, but in the end what he remembers is "joy": "It's huge what's happening to me, I dreamed of winning the CAN, as a player I did not know how to do it (he lost the final in 2006, Editor's note)".
The one that no one expected gave its third African Cup of Nations to Ivory Coast. Xavier Barret concluded presciently about Emerse Faé: "He finds himself on the front line, it's ultimately just a somewhat hasty promotion. Sometimes, circumstances mean that by throwing yourself into the water a little more quickly than expected, you find yourself in unexpected positions and responsibilities. And that can smile on your face." The Ivorian coach has, in fact, been all smiles since February 11.
The France 24 summary of the week
invites you to look back at the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 application