Five in line for Ivory Coast manager's job

Former Sochaux coach Herve Renard applauds supporters at the end of a French L1 match between Rennes and Sochaux at the Route de Lorient stadium in Rennes, western France on May 10, 2014. By Jean-Francois Monier (AFP/File)

Abidjan (AFP) - Herve Renard, who led Zambia to an African Cup of Nations triumph, and former French international Luis Fernandez are among five candidates to become the new Ivory Coast coach, the country's federation said Tuesday.

Ivory Coast football authorities said they have a shortlist with four French and one Portuguese candidate to replace Sabri Lamouchi, who quit after Ivory Coast lost to Greece and dropped out of the World Cup in the group stage.

Renard, who guided Zambia to the African title in 2012, Fernandez, who won a European title as a French player and coached Israel, former Bordeaux coach Francis Gillot, and Frederic Antonetti, who has managed teams in France and Japan, are the French contenders.

Jose Manuel de Jesus, a former Benfica player and coach, is the Portuguese candidate.

The Ivory Coast Football Federation's executive committee has said it will make a decision by the end of July.

The federation said 37 applications for the job were cut to five.

Lamouchi, another former French international, quit straight after the Elephants were beaten 2-1 by Greece in their final group match at the World Cup on June 25.

Ivory Coast were beaten by Nigeria in the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations last year.