Halilhodzic given Elephants job

Vahid Halilhodzic has been named as Ivory Coast coach.

The Bosnian signed a two-year contract in Abidjan on Tuesday, less than a month before the start of the Elephants' 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Halilhodzic, 55, won the 1997 Champions Cup with Moroccan club Raja Casablanca, and has coached French sides Rennes, Lille and Paris St Germain.

He replaces German Uli Stielike, whose contract expired in April, and was not renewed.

"It's a terrific sporting challenge," Halilhodzic told French sports newspaper L'Equipe.

"It is a team with much ambition which possesses a very talented generation but who have won nothing."

Halilhodzic had been on three-man shortlist for the post of Tunisia coach.

He has a reputation as a disciplinarian.

Ivory Coast begin their 2010 World Cup qualifiers with a home game against Mozambique on 1 June.

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