World Cup 2010 Preview: The Struggle For African Coaches Continues

Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will lead Ivory Coast at the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.

The Swede's appointment follows a familiar pattern in African nations deciding to appoint foreigners over African coaches.

Eriksson's job is to, "ensure an honourable participation." The Ivory Coast football federation have certainly expressed a desire for success in South Africa.

Former Ivory Coast Vahid Halilhodzic, from Bosnia, was sacked after a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign in January.

Eriksson saw off former Manchester City boss Mark Hughes, and former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster, to land the job but has the daunting task of taking on Brazil and Portugal in Group G.

Nonetheless, it is a challenge Eriksson will relish, "We are in a difficult group and it will not be easy but I think the Ivory Coast with all their talents can get through it."

This World Cup will be Eriksson's third, having guided England to the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006 but even if he does guide Ivory Coast past the group stage, he is likely to come up against favourites Spain in the second round.

Eriksson cannot meet his former employers before the semi-finals but admits a match against England would be a mouthwatering prospect.

"It would be a great match if we could meet England — and hopefully in the final," admits Eriksson.

The decision to hire Eriksson confirms there will only be one African coach amongst the host continent's six finalists at the first ever World Cup to be held in Africa.

That man is Algeria coach Rabah Saadane. Saadane is currently in his fifth stint as Algeria coach. He took them to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The number of African coaches could have been higher if Nigeria had not sacked Shaibu Amodu after the Africa Cup of Nations, despite guiding them to a third-placed finish.

Nigeria have appointed Eriksson's Swedish counterpart Lars Lagerback to coach the team in South Africa. Lagerback was coach of Sweden for nine years, taking them to two World Cups.

Cameroon will have Frenchman Paul Le Guen in charge, who steered Lyon to three consecutive French League titles but is unproven on the national stage.

Hosts South Africa turned to South America and Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira to oversee their World Cup campaign. Parreira previously won the tournament as Brazil coach in 1994 and has also coached Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia at World Cups, so may prove to be an influential figure.

Tradition makes the decision to appoint coaches from Europe less than surprising. Of the 34 African teams that will have contested the World Cup after this summer, 24 will have been led by a foreign coach.

No African manager has ever taken his nation past the World Cup group stage, so foreign managers look set to figure long into the future of African football.

It may be wise to allow an African manager a shot at managing his national side as no foreign coach has ever won the World Cup.

The African nations will be hoping that the likes of Didier Drogba, Kolo Toure, Samuel Eto'o and Emmanuel Adebayor will someday return to their homeland and pass on all that they have learnt playing for some of Europe's top clubs.

An African team winning the World Cup would show remarkable progress in footballing terms but an African coach winning the World Cup would show so much more.