Exclusive interview
Nigeria international Solomon Kwambe has urged the Nigeria Football Federation to make every effort to appoint Herve Renard as the next Nigeria coach, stating that he can qualify the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Super Eagles are searching for a new manager after Finidi George resigned following a barrage of criticisms over the three-time African champions’ qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.
Herve Renard: The Man for the Job
Renard, who will step down as head coach of France’s women’s national team after the Olympic Games, is considered the leading contender to succeed the Ajax legend. He has a proven track record, having led both Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire to African Cup of Nations victories.
Commenting on the rumors linking the Frenchman to the Nigeria job, Kwambe – who played for the Super Eagles at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and boasts 37 international caps – believes the 55-year-old would be an ideal choice.
Renard is a great coach when you look at what he has achieved managing other countries like Angola, Ivory Coast and Zambia and he would make an ideal choice for the Nigeria senior national team.
“Renard is a great coach, considering his achievements with countries like Angola, Ivory Coast, and Zambia. He would be an ideal choice for the Nigeria senior national team,” Kwambe told SportsBoom.com.
“When it comes to managing national teams, he is undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the world. It would be wise for the Nigeria Football Federation to persuade him to coach the Super Eagles, especially since he will be available after the 2024 Olympics.
“We are in a tight situation now as we need to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. We need a coach who can deliver the necessary results. This is not the time for trial and error. We must aim for the best, and all signs point to coach Renard.”
After guiding the Elephants to the 2015 African title, he became the first coach to win the Africa Cup of Nations with two different countries.
In March 2022, Renard guided Saudi Arabia to qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the foreign-born manager with the most wins in the Green Falcons’ history.
Take on Indigenous vs Foreign Coach for Nigeria
Over the years, there has been a heated debate about whether a foreign or indigenous manager should be appointed to coach the three-time African champions, with Nigerians holding contrasting views.
When asked for his choice, the former FC Tulsa defender states: “Football is all about results. If Finidi George got the needed results during his time in charge of the Super Eagles, there would not have been circumstances leading to his resignation.
“Whether you are a foreign coach or an indigenous coach, it is the result that matters at the end of the day not your origin or the country you come from.
“The last successful coach the Super Eagles had was Stephen Keshi, an indigenous manager. Ever since, we have been struggling to qualify for tournaments.
“Looking at how difficult it is handling the Nigeria national team, I still wonder how he [Keshi] managed to be successful during his time. Maybe if was alive, maybe he would have revealed how he got the job done.”
What Nigeria must do to qualify for 2025 AFCON
The Super Eagles be eyeing the 2025 AFCON diadem having finished as runners-up in the 2023 edition staged in Cote d’Ivoire.
To achieve that mission, Nigeria must negotiate their way past Gernot Rohr’s Benin Republic, Libya, and Rwanda in what many have called a cagey group.
Kwambe states what the 2013 African kings must do if they be among the participating countries in Morocco.
He added: “This time around, we must learn from our previous mistakes. Football is no longer about whether you are the giant of Africa or not or whether you have all your regular player play for top European clubs.
“It is about whoever gives his best on the field of play. To qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, we need to work very hard and work very smart.”
