Former coach Matte leaves after Mali won the Bamako Tournament

Looking cool and confident, Kasperczak denied that he had signed the contract, worth about �8,000 a month, to take Mali through the Cup of Nations, because he was no longer highly employable.

Fourth Finals

"I am a professional coach with 22 years of experience. This will be the fourth time I take an African team to the African Cup of Nations.

"If I had been asked four years ago to take over the Eagles, I would have hesitated. But from what I've seen here now, there is very interesting material to work with.

"I can't say we will succeed, but the chances are there. And I am excited to prepare the host team."

Kasperczak refused to go into details of why he was sacked abruptly as coach in Tunisia, and more recently Morocco, but said he takes criticism very well.

"I am not allergic to criticism," he said. "Rather, I am motivated by it."

Players missing

He had to put up with some early on, in defending his decision to replace Mamadou Coulibaly as assistant coach of the Eagles with Cheik Diallo, saying it was important for him to work with people he could trust.

Cheik Diallo has been named assistant coach by Kasperczak

Kasperczak admitted time was "very short" for him to prepare Mali's Eagles for the Cup of Nations, particularly since most of the professional players in Europe who were playing in the Bamako Tournament, and who will compose the team in January, will not be available for upcoming training sessions and preparatory tournaments, such as the Amilcar Cabral Cup to be held in Mali in November.

In the coming weeks the Malian public will have a chance to gauge just how effective Kasperczak has been with their national team, when the Eagles host friendly matches against Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

And Kasperczak is certainly not making any promises. "I'm optimistic, but I'm also realistic."