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RIO DE JANEIRO. — Former Chelsea coach Avram Grant has met with the chairman of Cote d’lvoire football federation in Brazil following the departure of coach Sabri Lamouchi after the Elephants crashed out of the 2014 World Cup.
Sidy Diallo confirmed holding a meeting with the 59-year-old Israeli at a hotel in Fortaleza, where the Ivorian team lost their final Group C match to Greece 2-1 on Tuesday.

Grant had shown interest in the Ivorian team some time past but no contacts or talks had been established between the concerned parties.
Diallo said the FA was in urgent need to recruit a coach ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers set to begin in two months’ time.

Grant also met with his former Chelsea player Salomon Kalou and both men had a long talk at the same hotel.
Frenchman Lamouchi announced he would not renew his contract with Cote d’lvoire after failing to achieve set objectives of qualifying the team to a Fifa World Cup knockout stage for the first time.

Grant managed Chelsea between 2007 and 2008 before subsequently handling Portsmouth and West Ham.
Meanwhile, Togo ministry of sports have confirmed the appointment of Tchanilé Tchakala as new coach of the national team after a long search for a successor of Frenchman Didier Six whose contract was not renewed in January. — SuperSport.