the reasons for his dismissal in Guinea

The news has come as a blow: Kaba Diawara is no longer the coach of the Guinea national football team. After a series of disappointing performances at the 2023 AFCON and the 2024 Olympic Games, but also in the face of the many criticisms that accompany his mandate, the Guinean Football Federation (Féguifoot) has decided to terminate his contract.

A mixed assessment at CAN 2023

For many fans, the 2023 AFCON in Côte d'Ivoire was the scene of a new disappointment for the Syli National. Although the team managed to get out of a group composed of Senegal, Cameroon and Gambia, it failed to pass the quarter-finals by falling to DR Congo.

Expectations were high, and many hoped that Kaba Diawara could lead Guinea beyond the quarter-finals. An ambitious but realistic goal according to several analysts. However, the reality on the pitch was quite different. The team showed tactical shortcomings, especially in defense where the weaknesses were glaring. The inability to create offensive opportunities also cost dearly, leading to an elimination that left a taste of unfinished business.

” We were hoping to see a more competitive team and bolder tactical choices from Diawara ” said a member of the federation on condition of anonymity. Unfortunately, we have seen a lack of adaptability in the face of challenges. »

Defeat at the 2024 Olympic Games

In the process, the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup confirmed these mixed results, with a high-flying victory against Algeria, before a draw against Mozambique, raising new questions.

The 2024 Paris Olympics were then an opportunity for Kaba Diawara to show himself with the U23s this time. A mission that turned out to be a poisoned chalice in the end with a big disappointment for Guinea. Despite a quality group and a lot of ambition, the Guineans left the competition in the group stage without winning a single match.

Read also: 2024 Olympics: Guinea and Mali left behind

A participation perceived as a major failure, reinforcing the idea within the Guinean Football Federation that the team was not sufficiently prepared to face the great nations of world football. Criticism increased, pointing the finger at the physical and mental preparation of the players. Kaba Diawara was indexed for not having been able to get the best out of his group and not having been able to adapt to the opposing strategies, thus showing his tactical limits.

The reasons for an inevitable dismissal

Faced with criticism and media pressure, Kaba Diawara's position appeared weakened. But the decision of the Guinean Football Federation to part ways with the coach took the Guinean sporting public by surprise. The Federation is aware of the expectations of the Guinean people “, commented a spokesperson for Féguifoot. “ We need a new approach to rebuild and move forward. “As if to say that Kaba Diawara was no longer, in their eyes, the man for the job and a symbol of the lack of confidence of the leaders of the body towards the technician for the short and medium term deadlines.

With the departure of Kaba Diawara, the Guinean Football Federation must now choose a new coach. The latter will be tasked with reorganizing the national team, trying to get the most out of the players and meeting the growing expectations of the fans. He will also have the difficult task of working on team cohesion and tactical discipline, aspects that were lacking under Diawara. Without which, it will be difficult to do better than his predecessor.