Cote d'Ivoire defender Sol Bamba insists the team remain fully behind coach Sabri Lamouchi, despite another failed Africa Cup of Nations bid on Sunday.
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The Elephants have been perennial pre-tournament favourites for several years now, but were unable to overcome the final hurdle since their 1992 success, having gone down on penalties to Zambia in last year's climax in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
The story was no different for the Ivory Coast this year as their African adventure came to an end at the quarter-final stage following their 2-1 defeat to Nigeria, leaving question marks hanging over Lamouchi's future as coach.
Bamba knows all too well the trend in Africa of coaches losing their jobs after national tournaments, but he says the team are hoping that this time the tactician escapes the axe.
"The players want Lamouchi to stay but in Africa when you lose a game, they're used to sacking the manager," Bamba told BBC Sport.
"Hopefully it's not the case but we'll have to wait and see."
Bamba is also hopeful that the national team can put their continental short-comings behind them when they get their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign back up and running next month.
"Football's about ups and downs and when you're down you learn and you have to stand up," he said. "We're very disappointed but it doesn't have to be the end. We've got the qualifiers for the World Cup to play, so we're looking forward to it."
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