Football
Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondent 7y

Serge Aurier's captaincy of Ivory Coast questioned by teammate

Serge Aurier's leadership skills have been questioned by an Ivory Coast international teammate after he captained the team in their two most recent matches.

Ousmane Viera Diarrassouba, a defender for Adanaspor in Turkey, told Radiodiffusion Television Ivorienne (RTI) that there are other, worthier candidates for the captaincy.

"Serge Aurier is not an example," Diarrassouba said. "There are other players more exemplary than him. Right now, it is illogical to give him the captain's armband.

"Aurier, with all of the controversy that has surrounded him recently, does not reflect the image that the national team wants to convey. For me, it is inconceivable [for Aurier to be appointed full-time captain]."

Aurier skippered the Ivory Coast during a 5-0 friendly loss away to Netherlands in Rotterdam and a 3-2 African Nations Cup qualifying loss at home to Guinea last month.

"Since Yaya Toure left, the armband naturally passed to Gervinho," Diarrassouba added. "Until I am proved otherwise, for me, Gervinho is the captain.

"When a decision needs to be taken over this, the star players will give their opinions."

Paris Saint-Germain defender Aurier has been followed by controversy since early 2016 and among other things, is awaiting his appeal against a convertible jail sentence for an alleged assault on a police officer in Paris last year.

"Serge Aurier has a strong temper," Diarrassouba said. "On the pitch and without wanting to do so, he has started to show this more and more.

"He is so eager to do well that he has raised his voice and even failed to respect his seniors at times. Outside of football, you must respect your elders. In Africa these sorts of values count."

Aurier's professionalism was questioned away at Lorient in March when he was needed by PSG coach Unai Emery as a substitute to replace the injured Thomas Meunier but he was not wearing his kit underneath his tracksuit and took almost 10 minutes to get changed.

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