Until December 31st of last year, David Ducci was attached to Amiens SC as the club's general manager. A former goalkeeper and former administrative director during Denis Troch's time (he experienced the French Cup final contested by ASC against Strasbourg in May 2001), David Ducci left at the end of the year. Destination: Equatorial Guinea, where the final phase of the African Cup of Nations took place. He was part of the Ivory Coast delegation that ultimately won the competition. Here's a look back at what remains an extraordinary adventure for David Ducci:
David, you were part of the Ivory Coast delegation during the final phase of the African Cup of Nations. How did you first establish contact with the Ivory Coast? What was your exact role?
This was made possible by the connections I have had with Hervé Renard for many years, and it was through him that it happened. He needed someone with video analysis expertise in his technical staff that he could trust and who had a football sensibility. He knew that I had been working with Arnaud Chevalier for a long time and that my duo could be useful for this African Cup of Nations.
Honestly, did you think Ivory Coast would go all the way?
We knew there was a lot of talent in this team and that it was a generation that hadn't won anything and that this might be their last chance to do so. So we thought, in one of the most difficult groups with Algeria's Group C, Senegal, South Africa, and Ghana, that we could either not make it out of the group stage or go all the way. That being said, we knew what we had come for, and Hervé Renard was able to instill that spirit in the group.
We can easily imagine the joy that took over the Ivory Coast? You went to Abidjan, I believe, where you were decorated by the Ivorian state. What a great memory you must have?
It's indescribable!! It's a communion with an entire nation, and we could feel the anticipation generated by 23 years without a title and what football represents in Africa. There were more than a million and a half people to welcome and celebrate us in Abidjan, can you believe it? I still can't. I experienced an exceptional emotion thanks to Hervé Renard, his staff, the players, and the Ivorian people. Only sports and football can evoke emotions to this extent.
For you, is Hervé Renard a white sorcerer? Does he follow in the footsteps of Claude Le Roy or Bruno Metsu?
No, he is not a wizard; what he does is not magical. He is a methodical, demanding, talented, human, and clever tactician. He has all the ingredients of a great coach, which he already is. I would like to see him prove himself in Europe with a big club and his team management talent. He has accomplished what no one before him has: winning two Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) titles with two different countries in just three years.
If you had stayed at Amiens SC, would you still have been at the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN)?
Let's say it would have been more difficult, and above all, it was mainly the fact of being free that made Hervé Renard's proposal to join them for five weeks in this incredible adventure possible.
During the final round, did you see Marvin Baudry play with Congo?
Yes, of course. I followed his progress very closely and hoped that we would meet in the competition. He came very close. He had a great competition and gained a lot of confidence and experience for his future under an experienced coach. The journey they made is remarkable.
Finally, did the Africa Cup of Nations take place under the best conditions? Did Equatorial Guinea, the host country, not try to influence the refereeing as happened with Tunisia?
I cannot speak for all the teams, but as far as we are concerned, the organization went rather well. I believe that accepting to organize such a competition in less than two months is remarkable. Everything was not perfect, of course, but it was difficult to achieve that in such a short time. As for the refereeing, I will let you judge, but let's say that the overall level of refereeing is not necessarily on par with the talent of the players one can have during a CAN, and this is not new. However, there were also games that went well.
Now, what will be your future with Côte d'Ivoire?
I do not know yet about my future, but one thing is certain: I have a shared history with Côte d'Ivoire that I will never forget.