Zambia coach open to offer from ´big African team´

January 23, 2010

Zambia coach Herve Renard has disclosed that he is willing to handle a top African team when his two-year contract with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) runs out in July.

The 41-year-old Frenchman has led Zambia into their first Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final in 14 years and said his ambition was to soon work with a higher profile team than Zambia.

“I know what I want, I’m very ambitious and I’m not scared to say so. I said even before this tournament that I wish to be coach of a very top team one day.

“I’m young but I’m not scared about anything,” said Renard, who assisted Claude Le Roy with Ghana two years ago.

“Now I can speak English and I’m French, so it’s only the Portuguese-speaking countries like Angola and Mozambique that it would be difficult for me to work with because the language is very important.

“But if they qualify for the World Cup, I will sign immediately for them.

“But really, I would want to stay in Africa with a bigger team. Claude Le Roy explained to me a lot of things about Africa. There are good things and bad things in Africa, but he said his heart is always in Africa. I’m the same now. I like this continent.”

The Frenchman admitted his time with the Chipolopolo of Zambia may soon come to an end.

“My contract will finish very soon, in a few months. I’m not sure I want to extend or renew my contract, so even if they don’t want me, it won’t be a problem,” he said.

Zambia take on Nigeria in Monday’s quarter-final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Lubango with the winner up against the winner of the match between hosts Angola and Ghana.

BENGUELA, Angola (AFP)

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