Ivory Coast's Renard keeps World Cup core at start of new era
ABIDJAN, Aug 28 (Reuters) – Ivory Coast’s new coach Herve Renard kept 17 players from the World Cup campaign in his first squad for next month’s African Nations Cup qualifiers. Didier Drogba announced his retirement from international football this month and Renard left out Kolo Toure and Didier Zokora, probably signalling the end of their careers in the national shirt. The Ivorians play Sierra Leone on Sept. 6 and Cameroon on Sept. 10 in their opening group qualifiers for next year’s finals in Morocco. Renard, who replaced fellow Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi, handed a first call-up to 21-year-old striker Junior Tallo, on loan from Roma at Ligue 1 club Bastia, and recalled Seydou Doumbia. Doumbia had said he would not play for the Ivorians again after being left out of the World Cup squad. Ivory Coast were knocked out in the group stages in Brazil. Squad: Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe Sport), Sayouba Mande (Stabaek) Defenders: Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (Toulouse), Benjamin Angoua (En Avant Guingamp), Serge Aurier (Paris St Germain), Souleyman Bamba (Trabzonspor), Arthur Boka (Malaga), Brice Dja Djedje (Olympique de Marseille), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Franck Kessie (Stella Abidjan), Lamine Kone (Lorient), Ousmane Ouattara (Sewe San Pedro) Midfielders: Roger Assale (Sewe San Pedro), Geoffroy Serey Die (FC Basle), Ismael Diomande (St Etienne), Max Gradel (St Etienne), Eric Tie Bi (Asteras Tripolis), Cheick Ismael Tiote (Newcastle United), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Forwards: Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Duesseldorf), Wilfried Bony (Swansea City), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow), Gervinho (Roma), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Junior Tallo (Bastia). (Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Robert Woodward)
