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Renard arrives

NEWLY-appointed Chipolopolo Boys coach Herve Renard arrived in the country yesterday.

Renard arrived in Zambia unannounced around 13:00 hours before he was cornered by journalists at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka in the company of FAZ general secretary George Kasengele.

The Frenchman took a swipe at the Zambia Football Coaches Association (ZAFCA) for challenging FAZ over his appointment.

Renard also said he was excited to finally be in Zambia after a bureaucratic delay in getting his official release from Ghana Football Association (GFA).

"It is a fantastic opportunity for me to come here and I am very ambitious," Renard said during an impromptu press briefing at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.

"But I heard from the associations of coaches in the press about me and I am bitter about them.” -The Post

He said a lot had been said and asked about his credentials and experience but assured that he was coming from France and coaching in ligue three (third division) was no mean achievement.

New Zambia coach jets in
While the Times of Zambia wrote Renard arrived at 12:50 hours aboard a South African Airways flight and was ushered out through the VIP exit point at the Lusaka International Airport premises by the FAZ to dodge the Press.

He was taken to the Taj Pamodzi Hotel by FAZ treasurer Bonny Mwamelo, in the company of general secretary George Kasengele, committee member, Marcha Chilemena who earlier told the Press at a briefing that he was not aware when Renard would arrive.

Renard said he is scheduled to meet FAZ officials today to discuss conditions of his contract which he would sign if he is satisfied with the proposals being offered by FAZ.



Its business....In the afternoon the Frenchman watched the CHAN Squad beat City of Lusaka 3-1 at Woodlands Stadium.


I need a little bit of rest before I meet the FAZ executive then we will know if I am going to sign the contract or not. First I would like to be the new coach, but to be honest with you, we have to sit down and talk with the FAZ executive because we have only been talking on the phone. We will have to agree on a lot of things,” Renard said.

Renard said when Le Roy became Cameroun coach at age 37 in 1985, which was his first African team to coach, many people criticised him for the first six months, but he later won them the Africa Cup the following year, adding that people should equally not judge him by his age but by his experience.

He said the only answer as to whether he was the right man to coach Zambia was for him to be allowed to get results.

“It’s easy to talk about football in the papers, but it’s different to achieve the results. My age and experience is not necessary when you are allowed to coach and you get the desired results. People always remember you as a good coach when you leave the country,” Renard said.