Renard fans’ favourite for Eagles job

In a poll conducted by PUNCH Sports Extra on Wednesday, football enthusiasts voted two-time Africa Cup of Nations winning coach Herve Renard as their choice for the vacant Super Eagles coaching job following the exit of Finidi George in June.

The former head coach of the France women’s national team was given the nod ahead of Swede Janne Andersson and other local coaches for the plumb job.

Finidi quit his role as head coach of the three-time African champions after the Nigeria Football Federation announced its plan to appoint a foreign technical adviser for the team.

The decision came after an outcry by the football-loving populace following the team’s poor performances, including a shock defeat to Benin Republic in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Ivory Coast last month.

As the federation continues its long search for the next coach of the team, reports indicated that the hunt is in its final stage, with the choices of the football body narrowed down to Renard and Andersson.

Earlier in July, NFF President Ibrahim Gusau dismissed reports that Renard was being considered for the job, with his hefty demand of $180,000 monthly salary the only stumbling block.

“I am not aware of that for now,” he said.

“Did you see it from any NFF communication channel? It is from some of those that are always trying to create confusion.”

In a poll conducted by PUNCH Sports Extra, a large number of Nigerians believe that Renard, who previously coached Zambia, Angola, Morocco, and Ivory Coast, has the experience and technical know-how and should be handed the Eagles job ahead of other applicants.

Of the 100 votes cast by the readers and fans, Renard scored 67 per cent to come in first, while Andersson came a distant second with 19 percent.

Meanwhile, some fans were indifferent as regards the two foreign coaches but opted for the return of an indigenous coach.

As such, 14 per cent of the voters hope that the NFF will consider appointing a local coach for the Eagles.

Of the two coaches running for the job, Renard boasts a bigger profile, and his appointment will cost the federation a lot of fortune.

The Frenchman has enjoyed great success in African football, being the only coach to lift the AFCON trophy with two different nations.

Aside from winning the AFCON trophy with Zambia and Ivory Coast, the 53-year-old also led Morocco and Saudi Arabia to creditable showings at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively, famously beating eventual winners Argentina in a group match at the latter tournament.

His financial demands may serve as constraints; however, he is viewed as the preferred choice in light of his experience and winning record in African football.

Though Andersson finished a distant second in the poll, the Swede is affordable and may win the race for the Eagles job on that basis.

Last year, the 61-year-old ended a seven-year spell in charge of Sweden, in which he reached the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup and the last 16 at the 2020 European Championship.

Some of the voters were concerned about the 61-year-old inexperience outside of Sweden and his underachievement in the latter years of his tenure.

Anderson boasts a domestic league title with IFK Norrkoping, but there remain reservations about his lack of experience outside his homeland.

The country’s football governing body is in a race against time as qualifiers for the 2025 AFCON begin on September 7, with the list of invited players expected to be released soon.