Head coach of the France women's national team Hervé Renard has stated that he will step down from the role after the Paris Olympic Games later this year, Soccernet.ng reports.
Renard will look to guide Les Bleues to their first gold medal finish at the Summer Olympics, after which he wants to work on taking a men's national team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The former Cannes defender revealed he has communicated his desire to leave to the Football Federation as he aims to make his third coaching appearance at the Mundial.
“It’s a difficult job,” Renard said, as per GFNF.
“If I had to be brief, I have in the back of my mind the 2026 World Cup in men's football; I hope that it will be my third World Cup at the head of a men’s team. These are my personal motivations.”
Nigeria target Renard?
According to L'Equipe, Nigeria are one of the suitors looking to appoint Hervé Renard as head coach of the Super Eagles.
Jose Peseiro left the position earlier this month after leading Nigeria to a commendable second-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire.
Former international Finidi George, who served as Peseiro's assistant, handled the team on an interim basis for the country's two friendly games against Ghana and Mali last week.
Finidi is also one of the leading candidates, together with Emmanuel Amunike, Michael Nsien, and Ndubuisi Egbo, to be named as Peseiro's successor.
However, the NFF remains open to appointing a foreign coach to manage the national team, leaving the door open for Renard to secure the Super Eagles job.
Nigeria will face stiff opposition to securing Renard, though, as the 55-year-old Frenchman is also reportedly a target of Poland, South Korea, Cameroon, Nigeria, and even Morocco.
Why is Renard the most sought-after coach in Africa?
Born Hervé Jean-Marie Roger Renard in France on 30 September 1968, his coaching career began in his country of birth in 1999 after a less-than-spectacular playing career.
Renard handled a few lower-league French clubs before landing in Africa in 2007 after he was asked to serve as assistant to Claude Le Roy for the Ghana national team.
The following year, Renard was appointed manager of the Zambia national team, and he led the Chipolopolo to the quarterfinals of the 2010 AFCON – the country's highest finish in 14 years.
He left and returned shortly after to guide Zambia to claim their first-ever AFCON title in 2012.
Cote d'Ivoire liked what they saw in Renard, and they appointed him the manager of the Elephants ahead of the 2015 AFCON.
Renard won the competition with Ivory Coast to become the first coach to win two Africa Cup of Nations with different countries.
The former Lille manager helped Morocco qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup to make his first appearance at the Mundial.
Renard became Saudi Arabia's coach in 2019 and led the Arabian Falcons to make it to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they beat eventual winners Argentina in their first match.
He was CAF Coach of the Year thrice in 2012, 2015, and 2018.
NB: Would you take Herve Renard as coach of the Super Eagles ahead of Emmanuel Amunike or Finidi George? Leave your comments below.
With all due respect,most- sought- after Frenchman ,Herve Renard is by far a more formidable and experienced coach than all the coaches who have been toouted to have applied to manage the Super Eagles. If he is willing to come and the NFF is ready to meet his financial demands and terms,then why not?
The NFF should please get him now!
I support our ex super eagles players for the job and preferably Emmanuel Amunike because of his experience or better still bring back Samson Siasia or Oliseh.
I’d love harve Renard to coach super Eagles
remember remember dollar price.120000 to 200000 payment slip .
nff paying 50000 almost hit rock after 3 months with back log. . every foreign.
if dey can give finito 15000 and telling him to get best leg ,best camping site, best physical trainer in local league and assistant. everyone wil sleep well .
I support Renard, he is the best hand for the eagles job. If nff will be serious for once and give him and enabling environment and as well paid him as at when due, Nigeria football will be better for it. Nigeria can afford his salary off course, if we are serious about getting him
My heart jumped when I saw this article.
Renard would be the best thing to ever happen to Nigerian football if he’s appointed.
He’s the Pep of the African game; the best coach you could ask for….
I’ve always wondered why Nigeria never targets Renard…
I hope there are more substance to this than mere rumor, please
Jean-marie Renard would be a suitable choice as superlative Eagles coach
Renard, would be a suitable choice for super eagles coach if they rogues Nff would have time for him
There is no doubt that Frenchman Renard will be a fantastic catch if the NFF can bring him on board. He has been very successful in leading many African countries to soccer glory and I have no doubt that he can replicate these successes in Nigeria.
NFF, go for Renard but you do not have to break the bank in order to bring him on.
There is no doubt that Frenchman Renard will be a fantastic catch if the NFF can bring him on board. He has been very successful in leading many African countries to afcon soccer glory and I have no doubt that he can replicate these successes in Nigeria.
NFF, go for Renard but you do not have to break the bank in order to bring him on!
He is more suitable for the post of the super eagles coach.
Get him without wasting time. The man is knowledgeable and understands African football. Why wait?
Renard has done well.
Keshi won AFCON.
Ivory Coast sacked their foreign coach and won the AFCON championship with an unknown local boy.
We need to give our boys the opportunity to prove themselves.
Will England hand over their national team to a Nigerian coach?
Give the job to a Nigerian. Full stop.
Why not? Renard would be the best thing to happen to the Super Eagles if only the infighting, lobbying for slots for selected players for rewards, imposing players on the coach and payment of salaries as and when due will allow the NFF do the right thing maybe this time.
I’ve always asked myself why can’t these NFF guys look for these Frenchman (Renard) since he left Zambia’s job?
Nigeria has a crop of world beating stars ruling club soccer bowls in Europe right now..They deserve a world class coach and tactician like Renard to take them to global soccer elite club that they rightly belong. We are all living witnesses to what good Westerhoff and Bon fre Jo did in lifting Nigeria and our budding stars to global limelight
I see some of una wey I sabi from the other side
amunike and the others will make a great coach but let’s get Lenard first and amunike or one of the other locals can learn alots from his vast African soccer experience.
Much as I would like a Nigerian coach to handle our National team, none of them has the credentials to make any impact at the world cup yet. Let them continue to garner more experience and improve themselves. Renard will do us good.
If i have the funds i will single handedly get renard for the eagles and pay his salaries.he will take us far in the WC