Hervé Renard opens up on rejecting Super Eagles job

Hervé Renard, a renowned French football tactician, disclosed that he was once on the verge of becoming the head coach of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles.

Following Finidi George’s surprise exit in May, the Nigeria Football Federation reached out to seasoned coach Hervé Renard, who has previously managed Ivory Coast and Zambia.

He was strongly considered to succeed Finidi George, but negotiations with German coach Bruno Labbadia ultimately collapsed, leaving the Super Eagles’ coaching position uncertain.

Renard admitted the NFF’s offer was extremely generous, but after weighing his options, he decided not to take the reins.

“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.

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.