Ivory Coast and Lille striker Gervinho has lamented the decision taken by his association to sack Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic just a few months before the World Cup in South Africa.

Halilhodzic was sacked after Ivory Coast's last-eight defeat to Algeria in Angola during the African Cup of Nations.

"It's two years' work that's gone up in smoke. I've phoned him and he's taken it badly, which I understand," Gervinho told FIFA.com.

He added: "We have to turn the page now though, and we'll have to start again with a new coach. That's the FA's decision, but if he wasn't able to turn things around in over two years, then it's obviously up to the players to do it.

"The ability is there and we need to make the next coach's job easier.

"I am sure we can take something positive out of this setback and come back stronger. With a new coach coming in, everyone?s going to have to make sacrifices to win a place in the side."

Following, last week's 2-0 friendly defeat to Korea Republic, Gervinho sees no need to be despondent about his side's chances at South Africa 2010.

"We're not starting from scratch, but the new coach will have his own ideas and everyone will need to make every effort to either stay in the starting line-up or win a place," continued Gervinho. "There are no problems in the team. The older players give guidance to the younger ones like me, and we all have the same ideas. The only problem is that there?s so much individual talent in the side that sometimes we let standards slip."

Much of the blame for Ivory Coast's problems of late has been apportioned to the defence, which was responsible for some worrying lapses in Angola.

"Defensively we need to play more as a team. Defence is everyone's job, from Didier (Drogba) to Kolo (Toure), and we need to defend as a team. Sometimes we just stand by and let someone else make the effort," commented Gervinho.

With only three months to go to the finals, whoever replaces Vahid will have very little room for manoeuvre. That makes it even more important for the leading lights in the team, chief among them Didier Drogba, to shoulder their responsibilities.

"He's our captain and that's not going to change. He always puts himself in his friends' shoes and never looks down at you. He stood and took the criticism for us after the Algeria game. He's always had things to say and he always will, no matter who the next coach is," concluded Gervinho.