Hervé Renard, one of the applicants for Super Eagles coaching job, after Finidi George’s unexpected resignation, has stated that he could have become the Nigerian national team head coach because the offer was the most lucrative he’s gotten so far, but after much delibeartion, he believes the job isn’t a match for him.
Renard, who has enjoyed stints at Ivory Coast and Zambia, disclosed this while speaking with a French outlet L’Équipe, as reported by Brila FM.
In his words, “I almost went to Nigeria. I weighed the pros and cons for a few days, even weeks, before eventually turning it down. It was the best offer I’ve had so far, but it didn’t suit me in the end,”
Renard was heavily linked with the Super Eagles job before talks with German Bruno Labbadia fell through, leaving the Super Eagles in limbo.
Meanwhile, interim coach Augustine Eguavoen, who has been tasked with leading the team through the upcoming 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Libya, has hinted at the conditions that could see him take on the job full-time.
Eguavoen outlined that any consideration for a permanent role would require a long-term contract, along with patience and consistent backing from the football body.
“The Super Eagles job isn’t one you take lightly. If I were to take it permanently, I’d need to sit down, reflect, and think deeply because it’s not a small task.
“It’s going to be tough. I’d need a long-term contract, patience, and clauses in the deal because you don’t win every day. It takes time to build a team,” Eguavoen told Brila FM.
Eguavoen, who has had three previous stints as head coach, lamented that he was never given enough time to truly implement his vision for the team.
“In 2006, I was in charge for six months. Every other time, it was just two months or two to three games. Clemens Westerhof had five years. Gernot Rohr had six years. They got time, but I never had two straight years,” he noted.
He reiterated that to succeed as the substantive coach, he would need long-term assurances, contractual clauses, and a show of confidence from the NFF.