Sports
‘It didn’t suit me in the end,’ Herve Renard on why he rejected Super Eagles job
French football manager, Herve Renard, has disclosed that he almost became Super Eagles coach but later turned down an offer from Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) because it didn’t suit him in the end.
The manager, who previously coached Ivory Coast and Zambia national teams, disclosed that he was approached by the NFF following the sudden exit of Finidi George in May.
He said the federation made him a lucrative offer, but he had to turn it down after weeks of consideration.
“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 told French outlet L’Équipe, as reported by Brila FM.
In the meantime, 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,” Eguavoen told Brila FM.
“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, 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.