From ‘Garbage collector’ to Top Prize in African Football, Renard dedicates team’s win to Kalusha Bwalya for the opportunity
National football team players celebrate their victory with Herve Renard
Zambia coach Herve Renard has dedicated his team’s title triumph at the 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations to Chipolopolo legend Kalusha Bwalya for giving him the opportunity to handle the team. The Frenchman describes the feat as a thank you package for the impact in his coaching career.
“He is the best Zambian player of the last century and he escaped the plane crash. He was criticized for giving me the second chance. I dedicate the victory to him because he gave me the opportunity to coach. I also thank Claude Le Roy for giving me my first experience in Africa as assistant coach in 2008 with Ghana.” Renard added that his team was destined to win the title after a campaign that saw them start every game as underdogs.
“It was unrealisable before the start of the tournament and we realised we have to believe in ourselves. We were not the best team but have the strength to fight on.
“We wanted to honour the dead players and that strengthened us. Our first game was against Senegal and the team was on its way to Senegal for a match when the plane crashed. The plane crashed in Gabon and we won the final in Gabon. It is a sign of destiny.”
The Frenchman for 8 years run a hands on rubbish removal company when he started out as a coach.
“When I started my life as a coach I was running my own company cleaning the communal parts of buildings,” he explained. “I used to get up at 3.00am for five days a week to do it. Putting out the bins was part of the deal. I’ll remember those moments before the game against Côte d’Ivoire. It was a difficult time.” he said before the cup final.
When I started my life as a coach I was running my own company cleaning the communal parts of buildings,” he explained. “I used to get up at 3.00am for five days a week to do it. Putting out the bins was part of the deal.
Eight years of hauling refuse around at dawn are far behind him now. And at 43 the Renard has Africa ’s most glittering football prize in his pocket.
The 2012 competition has been his third in all and his second as head coach and with the result of the dramatic win over the tournament favorites in the final, his value has now sharply risen.
“My path has been up and down,” he reflected. “It’s not always easy because when you don’t have a name you have to take somewhere more difficult than people with names. They are able to start somewhere immediately at a higher level but perhaps it’s a good thing as you get stronger mentally.”
The feature of his Zambia side has been its resilience and organisation as they’ve confounded supposedly stronger teams such as Senegal in the opening game in Bata three weeks ago and most notably Ghana and Ivory Coast .
“I was 15 when I signed my first contract with Cannes and I remember how lucky I was to start in the academy there,” Renard recalls. “I met some fantastic players. Arsène Wenger was coach of the academy and Jean-Marc Guillou, the coach of the first team. Afterwards there was Jean Fernandez, Guy Lacombe and Claude [Le Roy]. All fantastic people and when they were talking I concentrated and listened to these people.”
And the Frenchman is hoping that the performance of his team will open bigger doors for most of Zambian players to play in Europe
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They both deserve it surely, I mean Kalu and Renard himself
Well deserved win. CHIPOLOPOLO
You have done it boys,we salute you for bring the cup
The performance was outsatnding. Everyone thought Zambia were minows but now they are champions. Back home, Simaata and his manions were waiting for an opportunity to get on Kalu but now they are shamed. They are grinding with jelaous wherever they are. Idiots and football coup plotters. Shame!!!!!!!
Congrats Renard.Now i like you.I trully hated your guts when you came back.Zambia nizi.
When God says yes.
God at the decision table in a sporting game, are you mad? Please stop insulting god!!!
All good things come from the Father (God) unless you are saying winning the cup is not a good thing.Please humble yourself before God Almighty.
Well done. No sweet without sweat!!
the western media is f#$k. they didn’t want Zambia to win.they tried to discourage our boys that Ivory Coast was just a step from winning the AFCON.we proved you wrong.this is not europe where you have a few clubs dominating as favourites.this is Africa and the game here is tough.Drogba, Demba ba, Yaya Toure,Kolo,Kalou,Tiote the list is endless.you bunch of players are good thanx to the teams you play for who supply you with nice set pieces hence making you look as favourites. we showed you that in Africa you don’t come to AFCON with that mentality.am so happy that in my lifetime i have witnessed my country,Zambia clowned CHAMPIONS OF AFRICA.God bless ZAMBIA
@ Mary
As you put it my sister for the western media they made us underdogs,, they never wanted us to WIN because we are not a good headline story for them. They always want a bad African story, we don,t have civil war( not good news for the western media) No genocide, no rotting bodies in our streets, no dictators in charge that to the western media is not good news for Africa we need to be savages , rapists and have child soldiers
We are made out to boring underdogs for leading decent Christian lives, Now they will notice us
OUR BOYS WILL MAKE THE TOP TOP TEAMS NOW
I think, its good for zambia as a nation especially where we re coming from starting from the President himself how long it took him to the boss of the country and how long it has taken the soccer team to experience the glory of football. Zambia has had a humble start and no one talk about them so much even in the bible, it clealy says the humbled shall recieve his grace and the proud shall be humbled. Its not how you start the race rather how you finish, Thank you Zambia we love our peace nation and now we are on the MAP fro ZERO to HERO
Sorry clicked wrong button was meant to be a thumps up mate
Chineke….oh my God oh…this be wonderful news. well done chipolopolo
Well done boys,the job has been done perfectly well.You will be a marvel to watch at future games.
Well done Monsieur Renard! It just proves that anything is possible when you put in hard work…our ex President the late FTJ was a bus conductor, our current President was a station porter and you a garbage collector…what further motivation would one need to work hard?
God bless Zambia
The thing I liked about this coach is that he could quickly respond to conditions on the pitch. For example in the last gave Nyambe was having trouble and he was promptly replaced by Felix. Some coaches will just sit there and wait for things to improve. He did the same with Mbesuma in an ealier game. Good luck HR
Yeah, good call that one was.
The resilience of the team has yielded a positive fruit at last. Hearty congratulations!
What a great story HR and your hard work has worked miracles in believing in yourself and the Zambian Soccer team. Zambia is a great country and we are lucky to have great leaders in Kenneth Kaunda, MWANAWASA, KA CHILUBA, RB AND PRESIDENT MICHAEL CHILUFYA SATA. Kalu, you couldn’t win one for Zambia on the pitch since the most talented and dominantly team we had by then was taken away from us on the 27th April 1993 off the coast of Gabon. But you fought on and on and you believed in yourself to assemble the best team and the best coach in Renard, because of your great contribution on and off the field, ZAMBIA IS 2012 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS CHAMPIONS!!!! VIVA ZAMBIA AND MAY GOD BLESS OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM!!!!!:)
As an Afro-Carribean man(Barbados), let me take this opportunity to congratulate my Zambian brothers and sisters, I told my friend already in the quarter finals, that i thought you all would win, you have made a profet out of me.
thanks to you our caribbean cousins for the support
Where is Simataa x2 and Andrew Kamanga? Haters and PHDs be warned! Do not try to distruct our good Administrator “king” Kalu and HR. Viva Chipolopolo!
Congratulations Mr. Renard job well done we are the champion of Africa.
Beating Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Cost!!!! Next its Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroun. See you in SA
Ho, Egypt already knows what Zambia can do. Remember what hapened at the 1996 South Africa Afcon? They were one up and thought they had it done, but Zambia came from behind and knocked in 3 goals and they were eliminated—-thats Zambia my brother! Since then, Egyptians dares not to underate the Chipolopolo. Senegal, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast made a similar at the just concluded AFCON, and they got punished for it!!!!!!!
Humble beginnings indeed! Well done Herve and the entire soccer fratenity. Be my Valentine Herve Renard xoxoxo!
The short guys of Zambia did wonders. So height is not a factor in these things after all. Well done guys.
Not at all. Just look at Barcelona
am mauless! and touched and moved. felt like crying last night and still feel like that. we have done it and we need to get to the world cup now. thats our next milestone ba Kalu and your HR. The job is not yet done.
Still crying in the Diasopra.. tears of joy…
Lesa wandi, Mulungu wanga, ZIKOMO for this great victory.
I LOVE ZAMBIA!!!! I want to come home right away and celebrate with all of you my relatives!
RENARD..YOU ARE THE MAN!!!
Congratulations coach, Faz, team and all the people of my beoved country. We won this one in stlye by beating the best African team in the final. lets try and emulate Egypt and win it again for second time next year in SA.
Ivory Coast may be the best on paper with world class players, but yesterday Zambia showed them what it means to be an underdog yet the best on the pitch.
Thanks boys
I just love the Zambian ‘Haka’. Bring it on boys!
What a Team. What a Coach. What a truly united effort. History in the making. Sportsmanship, Teamwork and solid hard work at it’s finest. I salute you all.
LATEST Mamadou Gaye has committed suicide
for real?
I HAD SO MUCH FAITH IN OUR TEAM, I DID NOT DOUBT THEM BEATING THE ELEPHANTS DESPITE THE ‘UNDER-DOG’ PERCEPTION. ZAMBIA IS A GREAT NATION IN EVERYTHING- POLITICAL RESOLVE, PEACE, DISCIPLINE, UNITY OF PURPOSE, HUMANITY, HAPPINESS IN THE ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES. VIVA RENARD, VIVA CHIPOLOPOLO, VIVA SATA, VIVA GUY SCOTT, VIVA KK, VIVA RB(but that doesn’t mean i am freeing you from crimes you committed), VIVA KAMBWILI. WE ARE THE GREATEST ‘UNDER-DOGS-whatever it means.’
RENARD HAS A LOT IN COMMON WITH SATA. “…rubbish removal company when he started out as a coach”. THEY HIGH ACHIEVERS. THEY ARE BOTH FROM CLEANING TO MANAGERS. ONE MANAGES THE NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM WHILE THE OTHER ONE MANAGES THE STATE (ZAMBIA). MORE MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF CHIPOLOPOLO.
Herve saved his dance for the final. his that the famous donchi kubeba dance????? how lovely
Weldone boys,, come back home for hugs and kisses. we cant wait to welcome you , how about a holiday tomorrow mr president???????????
In Wenger we trust – explains why Wenger tipped Zambia to be a surprise package at AFCON
He did? Really?
Nevers Mu mba is a lia r and a mon ey lau ndering ma chine
Him and the de puty Mr Nz oya are ste aling tax pa yers money. They had fired Mr Tem bo beca use he knew about this sc am and was aga inst it. They also have a office slut , Caro lina Rod- riguez who is also abus ing the money. The Ottawa Zam bian mis sion are th ieves
I hate this chap, Kalu. Enshi fii naimwe?? You won because luck just favoured you. It is nothing to do with so called Kalu’s good football administration. Andrew Kamanga could do better than him. Ba kooswe imwe, ba Zambia……………..!!!
Congratulations from France
you’re a surprise: very nice surprise!!! Congratulations to Mr Renard, to the players and all the team & staff. A great thing in memory of the 1993 crash known by Zambia.
are u zambian. If so, where in France are u? I am in Toulouse!! Chipolopolo, iyeeeeeee
#17 ROOTS MAN THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BELIEVING IN US. HATS OFF FOR YOU MAN AND GOD BLESS YOU. WE ARE TOGETHER IN” ONE LOVE”.
kalu was a winner when he played football,he carried at times the entire team on his shoulders.Is it any suprise that he is a winner as an administrator?kalu for PRESIDENT in 2016.
Now, we will be reckoned among “men” in African football.
whooo! these chaps, as unpredictable as they are, have shocked the world over. now, the so called soccer pundits will have to re-write their books cos of these stunners called chipolopolo. you boys know how to raise someones BP. mine shot up like hell, i even failed to witness the fourth to eighth penalt shoot outs cause i could not stand it. and i call myself a toughee, just imagine. WELL DONE BOYS, LETS NOW AIM FOR HIGHER THINGS. europe here we come.not “abo ati” drogba, ba, kalou, toure, etc. the real boys have been unveiled to the whole world now.
This is Historical achievement! Viva lads, viva kalu, viva Renard. Shame Simataa Simataa, shame Kamanga. Give second term to Kalu. He and the team has brought honour to our nation.
#22. NO HEIGHT IS NOT A FACTOR. BUT THE SENSE OF PURPOSE, HUMILITY, DISCIPLINE AND HUMBLENESS ARE THE REAL THINGS.
Iye chipolopolo=…We are the chosen ones.How good it feels to be Zambian.How good it feels to sing Chipolopolo even to people who not understand what is means.Diaspora?Home sweet home my heart is longing,for thy splendors that i see.How i long for all the beauty..
Well, congratulations to the dynamic Zambian team. What a game! What a pleasure watching The Chipolopolo play! As an Ivorian living abroad I’m very sad for my country today but I’m glad that we lost against a much more better team. You deserved the African Cup better than us…………….. and in some kinds of ways I can say that justice has been served.
When I saw the Zambians dancing yesterday after the penalties shoot out I was thinking about the two best players that Zambia has ever known: Peter Kamba but mainly Alex Shola who played for Africa Sports d’Abidjan – my team in Ivory Coast back in the 80ies.
Bravo à La Zambie. Vous méritiez cette coupe, vous l’aviez remportée de hautes luttes. Toutes mes félicitations.
Et bonne fête!
thanks mate, but its ‘peter kaumba and alex chola.’
Bola bola bola, bika dance iwe!
Sympathies to the Ivory Coast…. you can’t beat two teams at once. Chipolopolo forever!
I AM MORE PROUD TO BE ZAMBIAN. I HAVE EVER BEEN SO EVER. BUT THIS IS SO UPLIFTING. CONGRATS GO TO THE ZAMBIAN TEAM MANAGEMENT GROUP, PLAYERS AND THE HUMBLE ZAMBIANS THEMSELVES. VIVA TO ALL.
Number 36 Rooftop ,its no time to talk about politics of hate, we love Nevers mumba ” Zambia shall be saved” Now we talk about football, did HR juju work by wearing a white shirt throughout the game? CAF wants to Know what these young , short , poor, uneducated zambians did to win AFCON? Well come SA 2013 WE SHALL BOOT YOU OUT AT QUALIFYING SERIES FOR NOW LET UR WISH BE DONE…TERANGA SUPPORTER
Iwe Herve, you were once coached by the Arsene? You and Kalu should now use your European connections to get our boys into their leagues (premier, 1st and 2nd div). We can surely do better than playing in China, Russia, Congo etc. Herve, you’ve come a long way and your story is truly inspirational!
Anyone’s got a video link on YouTube about the zambian victory celebration accross your country? Just curious to see how good you guys are to party on such an unforgettable night!
Monsiuer Renard! you a great coach very organised and discplinarian a good tactician quick to respond to situations as some blogers rightly stated. To Great Kalu welldone now lets see those haters dare challenge U! pipo like Simataa – means stupid ***** in Tswana; kamanga where a U? shamuneni bane shame!
Great Kalu What a CV! Its going to speak for you in the forth coming FAZ election. So nizii chabe! viva chipolopolo Donchi Kubeba!
I salute Kalusha Bwalya for being very focussed in his quest to achieve the objectives of his cherished profession. Local forces that connived to work against his Administration in FAZ originate from the day Kalusha democraticaly defeated his opponents to win the position of FAZ President. As this clique of adversaries punched Kalusha left and right, chains of honours were being bestowed on Bwalya from African and World Football fraternitiy. One has to be resilient and focussed in ones own profession. Congrats to Kalusha Bwalya for making this glorious history in Zambia.
Thank you #17 ROOTS, our brother!
How I wish Mr. Frederick Chiluba were here!
# 46 Jean-Jacques Paillebeaux, thank you brother! You made us run for our money! Whenever Chelsea play as you may know I am always there for Drogba but against Zambia you know brother blood is thicker than water! Thank you though! Ya Alex Chola and Peter Kaumba once played in West Africa. We called Alex “Computer” and Peter “Toshack!” They were a representation of Zambian legends in football!
Thanks bro!
It amazing what you can achieve when you have faith and believe in yourself. Zambian players deserved the trophy as they really fought for it. The Ivorian team is full of rich players who are not motivated to play like they usually do in their teams in Europe that pays them millions of dollars.
This should serve to us as example that the level of the game in Africa is very very high. Egypt won in 2010 with all local players. The Ghanaian team were once a World champion when they were teens, but now they are all rich and cannot win anymore as a team, Cameroon and Senegal are all in the same boat with full of rich players.
I am not from Zambia or Ivory Coast but all I can say is that God is trying to point to us that we have what it takes in Africa to move forward. Ivory Cost with all the
Ivory Cost with all the best players in the World is not able to get the job done.
I was like many others who did not really believed in the ability of the Zambian’s team to do what they did, but I did not even have too much confidence in the Ivoirians style of playing either, they overcame Mali not because of a constructive game, but due to a mistake, we hoping to see a team with a better performance. I was more convince in the Ghanaians because they were more aggressive.
The best team on the pitch Sunday February 12th were the Chipolopol. Full stop!
That spirit above you see in the photo is contagious! It the unit we desire to see and is the spirit of victory!
I don’t agree with Harve that Kalu, however great he was, was the best Zambian player of the last century. We are talking about the same century in which Chitalu lived. Kalu was great but Chitalu is Zambia’s greatest. Like Ali, his record stands by itself, high and above. Let’s not confuse facts with hubris.
like the unity in the team with coach…..makes a Great and unique team….
#9 YOU ARE RIGHT, ITS ABOUT SEASONS,GOD WORKS IN SEASONS…
Great performance by the boys! Congrats!
Jambio bika ka lipolo kobe panshi.Why are you sulking Zambia won and made as all proud.You must be a lozi git.
Vision with action = African Champions!
Chipolopolo has done us proud! Now the mission starts, to remain the best!
SATA and the Zambian Presidents:
S-alutes Kaunda and steps on the grand football pitch for the first Zambian Africa Cup
A-llows RB grandstand spectacle
T-rusts Guy Scot
A-luta continua SATA
Ucar Chitalu was a great goal scorer and shall always be honoured. But Kalu is the greatest both on and off the pitch. Had Ucar been alive today he would look at Kalu with envy. 1988 African footballer of the year, AFCON golden boot award with 5 goals, went on to become FAZ president, CAF executive committee member, FIFA technical committee.Other countries envy us for having Kalu. He is unarguably the greatest player Zambia has ever produced. But for now these 22 men who represented us are the greatest as they are the only ones to bring the trophy back home where it belongs.
A Clean Sweep, absolutely remarkable.
And they did it without losing a single game, yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya!!!!
If the coach displays confindence, players are likely to follow. Do you all remember how many times Zambian players referred to their coach every time the foreign media tried to frighten them the Dologoba, Demba ba ba ba, Yaya tuulee, Asamoah guuueni, and them names?!! They always said they will meet on the pitch and do what the coach told them—-that’s some F*****ing confidence in their coach. And it showed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where can I get the videos or is it DVDs,for the games that Zambia played at the just ended AFCON 2012 series?. TO our lads a simple comment. You made us proud in your mission out to Equitorial Guenie.God bless you all.
#62 Jambia and people who generally say chitalu is zambias greatest base it on,is it on the 107 goals scored in one season or the 5 zambian footballer of the year awards?,please educate me
Well-Done Champions! The best & well deserving team won. While I strongly believed in our team & vividly envisioned the CUP lifted by us, never did I realistically picture this kind of Victory for my country.Such a benevolent, humble & diligent nation who went in with one desire to bring the Africa Cup of Nations home. This is the epitome of sport on the African Continent and we have claimed it with our team’s hard work & headship of Harve Renard & Kalusha Bwalya – Thank you all. It’s also divine that where the tragedy happened GOD chose to wipe our tears for good right at the same sport of sorrow. May our HEROES rest in peace – after all these years, we have done it for you too. I am so emotional & home sick, this is surreal…GOD BLESS ZAMBIA
Zikomo Jehovah God for giving us JOY and VICTORY, 3 our destiny number, 3 African Cup finals, 3 under 20 cosafa cup honors in row, 1993 our sad day, Zambia beats all 3 Afcon 2012 favorites, Senegal, Ghana & Ivory Coast, Only 3 goals were scored against us, 3 penalties were missed in a row- toure, kalaba, Gervinhno, zambia beat senegal 2-1=3, zambia beats sudan 3-0. Zambia has reached the finals under 3 Political Parties-1974-UNIP, 1994- MMD, 2012- PF. 3 sides kalu- the player-the coach-the administrator. 3 foreign coaches have taken us to finals of africa cup- Buselic 1974, Potterfield 1994, Renard 2012.
WE NOW HAVE TWO PRESTIGIOUS CROWNS TO OUR NAME- AFRICAN CHAMPIONS 2012. AFRICA FOOTBALLER OF YEAR 1988 -KALU NEXT?
Herve Renard doesn’t only deliver goals, he turns heads! He is sizzling HOT, ask any woman. I can’t believe he was a garbage collector!
Where are all those Coach potatoes that used to tell us “if you are a good footballer it doesn’t mean you will be a good manager. Great Kalu has delivered. He knows what is needed to make a winning team because he PLAYED football at the highest level!When he picked Renard again I thought he made a wrong move because the Frenchman was not as inspiring as Claude Le ROy and the likes. Even the Minister Shamenda was against dropping Boneti But you got to give it to Great Kalu. He knew what he was doing. The man was born for football! We must name the Ndola stadium after him. w
and amid all this the chi clueless dictator decides to go campaigning instead of heading the clebrations!
Kamanga ,simata and the MMD failled to remove kalu because he is protected GOD
viva great kalu. it just too easy to criticize than to get the job done.
en he said let there be joy in Zed…..dont kubeba!!!! we rock… love my country
Zasema (# 72) Well ‘third’ with the ”3 Analysis”! Chipolopolo has done Zambia proud!
A football spectacle that brought Presidents together; Kaunda, RB and Guy Scot to support the boys abroad! Sata at home with Zambians glued to the TVs! Proper “One Zambia, One Nation!”
Hopefully I will not receive anymore questions in my Public Health (AIDucation) talks of, “Where is Zambia in Nigeria?” ZAMBIA IS NOW ON THE WORLD FOOTBALL MAP! Proud to be Zambian!
inspiring story
No.17 Roots, “One love broda-mon”, No.46, tough luck but Ivory Coast gave us a good game, and thanks for reminding us of the great Alex “Computer” Chola and that he played in Ivory Coast….as for all of you Great Kalu haters, you have no choice but to accept that he made a tough decision in firing Bonneti and bringing HR back and he stuck by it and it has now paid off…Well done Chipolopolo, HR & coaching staff, FAZ and all the fans, we deserve to feel good sometimes as well. Now sing along: Iyeee Chipolopolo x 23!!
BIG UP TO KALU AND FAZ FOR STANDING FIRM to critism by power hungry IDIOTS like SIMAATA SIMAATA AND KAMANGA. Renard is the man, he made brilliant decisions. He built up his team and groomed new talent like young sinkala, chisamba lungu and Davies Nkausu. He did not play names. In the 1st game with senegal he was critised for using 6 midfiders but his decision paid off.WE NEED TO KEEP THIS GUY.
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