Former Ivory Coast head coach, Herve Renard, has opened up about why he turned down the opportunity to become Nigeria’s Super Eagles head coach, despite being one of the top candidates for the position.
Renard, a two-time winner of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), was approached by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) after Finidi George resigned from the role following only two games in charge. The NFF had been actively searching for a suitable replacement, and Renard was considered one of the best options to fill the vacancy.
In a recent interview with French sports outlet L’Équipe, Renard disclosed that he seriously considered the offer but ultimately chose to decline.
Renard, who has also coached Saudi Arabia’s national team and France’s women’s national team, revealed that he took several weeks to weigh the pros and cons of accepting the Super Eagles job.
“I almost went to Nigeria,” Renard said in the interview. “I weighed the pros and cons for several days, even weeks, before deciding to turn it down.”
According to Renard, the offer from Nigeria was the most lucrative one he had received at the time. However, despite the attractive financial package and the chance to lead one of Africa’s most prominent football teams, he felt it was not the right fit for him at this stage in his career.
“It was the best offer I had received, but ultimately, it wasn’t the right fit for me,” Renard explained.
His decision left the NFF scrambling to find a replacement, and for the time being, Augustine Eguavoen has been placed in interim charge of the national team.
Herve Renard is no stranger to African football fans. He has a stellar reputation, having won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) twice, first with Zambia in 2012 and then with Ivory Coast in 2015. His success with Zambia, a team that was considered an underdog, brought him international recognition, and his subsequent triumph with Ivory Coast solidified his reputation as one of Africa’s most successful coaches.
Renard has also coached several national teams outside of Africa. Most notably, he was the head coach of Saudi Arabia’s national team, where he guided them to a famous victory over Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In 2023, Renard transitioned to women’s football, taking charge of France’s national women’s team, where he led them to the semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Given his record of success, Renard was seen as an ideal candidate to lead the Super Eagles back to glory, especially as Nigeria prepares for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 AFCON tournament.
Renard’s rejection comes at a time when Nigeria’s national football team is in a period of transition. The Super Eagles have experienced inconsistency in recent years, leading to a series of coaching changes and fluctuating performances on the field.
After Finidi George’s short stint as head coach, which lasted just two games, the NFF has been on the lookout for a seasoned coach who can bring stability and success to the team. The Super Eagles are currently preparing for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers and are hoping to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Augustine Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles defender and coach, has been placed in interim charge of the team. Eguavoen is not new to the role, having previously coached the team in 2005 and again in 2022, when he took Nigeria to the AFCON quarter-finals.
Renard’s decision to decline the Super Eagles job is not the first time Nigeria has struggled to secure a long-term head coach. Over the past decade, Nigeria has seen a carousel of coaches take charge of the national team, with few staying long enough to make a lasting impact.
In recent years, the NFF has experimented with both local and foreign coaches, but the team has yet to find the right leader who can restore Nigeria to the top of African football. The Super Eagles last won the AFCON in 2013 under late coach Stephen Keshi, and since then, the team has failed to live up to the expectations of fans and football analysts alike.
The NFF has faced criticism for its handling of coaching appointments and the lack of continuity in the team. Many fans believe that a coach of Renard’s caliber could have brought much-needed experience and stability to the squad.
