A club official in the Ivory Coast has revealed that presidential aspirant for country’s football federation, Didier Drobga, promised them that he would guide the national team to World Cup glory if he is elected.
Jean-Jacques Koffi Kouassi, President of Division Three club, Schadrac FC said Drogba gave the assurances when he met with some club officials.
“Didier told us: ‘if you make me the FIF President, I’ll win the World Cup“, he said on his club’s Facebook page.
Koffi Kouassi offered the names of the other club Presidents at the meeting and dared anyone to verify his claims.
Kouassi also believes that Drogba is the right man to take football in the Ivory Coast to the next level.
“In Africa, there is good seed, all we have to do it organize things as Didier wants. Didier doesn’t say things because he has to say them, he has the means to do them”
Drogba, it seems, is trying to get the league clubs on his side following the overwhelming rejection from the Old Footballers Association.
His lofty ambition to guide Ivory Coast to the World Cup title certainly catch the eye as no African country has made it to the semi-finals of the showpiece.
None of the 14 members of the Association voted for Drogba in the recent polls, with 11 of them backing his rival, league president Sory Diabate, while three persons abstained.
A member of the Association and a former national teammate of Drogba’s Didier Zokora said they rejected the former Chelsea’s star’s bid because he had consistently disrespected them, despite being the Association’s honorary President.
He added that Drogba has never attended a single one of the Association’s meetings nor did he inform them of his intention to contest for the Football Federation’s Presidency.
“What we are saying is that Didier Drogba, as honorary president of the Association has never been present at a single meeting. He did not even inform us of his candidacy for the presidency of Fif. It’s a huge disrespect,” Zokora is quoted as having said on Radio Jam.
The results of the election, which was done via video conferencing, have reportedly sparked a massive debate in the Ivory Coast.
Drogba had been the massive favourite going into the polls, particularly after experienced administrator Eugene Diomande withdrew from the race and publicly backed the former Ivorian captain.
He had also been endorsed by 48 professional clubs in the country.
According to Afrik Foot, Drogba will hope to have better luck when members of the Active Footballers Association, the coaches, referees and the physios also cast their votes.
“I want to get more involved. I think more and more about it. I know Ivorian football, I have played in selection for years and I invested in Ivorian football lately,” Drogba recently said about his ambitions.
They are vying to replace Augustin Sidy Diallo as President.
The Ordinary General Assembly of the Ivorian Football Federation (Fif) is set for Saturday, May 16, 2020.