Ghanasoccernet.com
Two-time Africa Cup of Nation (AFCON) winning coach Hervé Renard hints that given the chance he can return to Ghana to guide the Black Stars win the African title.
Speaking to Ghana TV3’s Juliet Bawuah, Renard — who was deputy to Claude Le Roy when the Black Stars won bronze at the 2008 AFCON — revealed his intentions of leading Ghana to win the prestigious football competition again.
Ghana have gone drought since winning the title for the 4th and last time in 1982.
His first title was with Zambia in 2012
The Black Stars have come close to clinching the ultimate thrice since then as they lost in final games of 1992, 2010 and 2015 editions.
“Yes I have to come back one day to help one country to win. That country haven’t won it for a longer time and that is your country Ghana.
“I will love to win this feat with the Black Stars,” he told Bawuah.
Next with Côte d’Ivoire in 2015
The 51-year-old masterminded the Zambia triumph of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations where the Chipolopolo beat Ghana in the semi-finals.
Renard also led Côte d’Ivoire to their only second AFCON title in 2015 in Equatorial Guinea, also beating Ghana in the final in post match penalties.
The Frenchman is currently coaching the Saudi Arabia national team after his spell with Morocco came to an end in June 2019.
Advertisement
Renard guided Morocco to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and a disappointing round of 16 exit at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt losing to Benin on penalties.
Born on September 30, 1968 in Aix-les-Bains, Renard played as a defender for French sides AS Cannes, Stade de Vallauros and SC Draguignan in a playing career which lasted from 1983 to 1998.
After retiring as a professional player he worked as a cleaner, working there in the morning and training with Draguignan in the evening, eventually starting his own cleaning company.
Le Roy, the man who brought Renard to Africa
Renard began his coaching career with SC Draguignan in 1999, leaving in 2001 and was assistant to Claude Le Roy at Chinese side Shanghai Cosco from 2002 to 2003.
He later managed English side Cambridge United in 2004, having first joined the club with Le Roy to serve as a coach.
He became manager of Vietnamese club Song Da NAM Dinh in 2004, leaving them after several months to become AS Cherbourg manager in 2005, leaving them in 2007.
At the 2018 World Cup with Morocco
He then moved to Ghana to become assistant to Le Roy before moving to Zambia, whom he led to the quarterfinal stage for first time in 14 years — at the 2010 AFCON.
But he left his duties as the Chipolopolo boss in April 2010 with only two months remaining on his contract and two days later he agreed to coach Angola but resigned from his post in October 2010 after reaching an agreement with Algerian club, USM Alger whom he joined on January 21, 2011.
Then on October 22, 2011, Renard was unveiled for a second stint as coach of Zambia on a one-year contract and successfully led them to their first-ever AFCON title for the finals jointly hosted by Gabonand Equatorial Guinea.
That moment when Zambia won on penalties
The win was dedicated to the 18 players who perished in April 1993 after a plane carrying the squad crashed just miles from the site of the 2012 final in Gabon.
After Zambia were eliminated from the group stages of the 2013 AFCON, Renard blamed it on himself and he later criticised Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) for not allowing Zambia, as the 2012 AFCON to compete at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Coronavirus alert
In October 2013, Renard was released from his contract by the Football Association of Zambia in preparation for a role with French club FC Sochaux which was involved in a relegation fight but after being relegated, he left the club
In July 2014, he was appointed as Côte d’Ivoire coach whom he led to win the 2015 AFCON, becoming the first coach to win two Africa titles with different countries.
After a short stint with French club Lille in 2015, Renard was appointed as the new Morocco manager, whom he helped qualify the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, their first since 1998.
Coronavirus alert
After Morocco were eliminated from the 2019 AFCON, Renard took responsibility for the shock exit and he resigned a few days later.
That same year, he became manager of Saudi Arabia, the first French to do so. His official match was a surprise 2–2 draw against Yemen on September 10, in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.—Additional report from Wikipedia