The waiting game is over. Herve Renard has arrived to conclude talks over his future appointment as new Zambia coach.
The Frenchman arrived at lunchtime today ahead of Fridays contractual talks with Faz tomorrow at Football House.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for me to come here and am very ambitious,” the 39-year-old Frenchman said today at Pamodzi Hotel before checking-in.
“We have only talked by phone (With Faz) now I have to talk the president (Kalusha Bwalya) after we agreed on a lot of things but didn’t sign any contract,” he said.
“I have read alot about Zambian football and watched them at the Africa Cup in Ghana.
“I watched all their three games and the team has a lot of skilled players with great mobility and that is important for modern football.”
Renard said his priority after wrapping up his deal with Faz tomorrow was to qualify the team to the Africa Cup and the World Cup thereafter.
He also said he was a fully qualified coach and had the experience after working in the French Ligue 3 adding that breaking into his homelands league as coach was difficult at any level where he cut is spurs 10 years ago.
FAZ meanwhile are hoping to wrap-up talks with Renard on Friday ahead of his first game in charge against Libya in an international friendly on May 21 in Tripoli.
Zambia leaves for Libya on May 19 with Renard expected to lead an 18-member team for Wednesdays friendly that will have 13 home-based players in the travelling part to Tripoli.
The remaining 5 slots will be filled by South African-based players while the European continent will join the team after the friendly either in North Africa or in South Africa en route to Accra, Ghana.
Zambia and Togo will play their first 2010 World/Africa Cup qualifier in Accra instead of Lome on May 30.
This is after Caf banned Togo from playing its home matches in the country due to crowd problems in Lome during the 2008 Africa Cup qualifiers.
Foreign -Based Players For Togo-Zambia 2010 Africa/World Cup Group 11 Qualifier
Goalkeepers: Kalililo Kakonje (Amazulu, South Africa), Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars, South Africa)
Defenders: Kampamba Chintu (Free State Stars), Billy Mwanza, Joseph Musonda (Both Lamotville Golden Arrows, South Africa),
Midfielders:Isaac Chansa (Helsingborg, Sweden), Felix Katongo (Stade Rennes, France)
Strikers: Christopher Katongo (Brondby, Denmark), Jacob Mulenga (Strasbourg, France), Collins Mbesuma (Bursaspor, Turkey), Dube Phiri (Desportivo Premeira Agosto, Angola)
*Standby: James Chamanga (Dalian Haichang, China), Noah Chivuta ( SuperSport United, South Africa), Given Singuluma (Bay United, South Africa)
A report on BBC Todays says the new coach has to buy out his remaining months with Ghana until July, which is which?
This is boring. The same squad that failed in Ghana has been called up. What about defensive midfielders where are they. We have plenty of players in Europe. Why cant we give them a chance. The same defence that failed has been called up. What about Edwin in sweden, Misheck in hungary. There are no defensive minded players in midfield this is crap!!!!
What is Mbesuma name doing on that list? Zambia let us be serious. How many times has that chap featured for his team this season? I would rather have Chamanga than Mbesuma.
renard should know that fwayo tembo of etoile du sahel is the most eligible player to include in the team! zambia can only succeed by evolving, and that involves continuosly bringing in younger talent into the team.
Gave up on the game in zed ages ago – no comment
Is this man a “physical trainer” or coach? What Zambia needs is a coach or manager.
Abbey also clarified that the GFA are happy to let physical trainer Herve Renard leave to become the new Zambia coach if he buys out the remainder of his Ghana contract.
“We don’t have any issues with the Zambia federation, this is purely a contractual issue between the physical trainer [Renard] and the GFA,” Abbey said.
Yaba, we’re going to play a 3 2 4 formation with no substitutes. No seriously, let’s see what FAZ is made of, bring all the guys in, let’s see the sensible organization from the start. Most leagues are coming to an end in Europe. Use this summer to make sure players are looked at. Sichone, Fwayo Tembo, etc
Ghana should just let Renard go, he is only their trainer because of Le Roy and Ghana wanted their own assistant. So seeing as Le Roy has not extended, they shouldn’t play sour grapes, just look for new set up and let the man go.
I yearn for the good old days when we could visit Yaonde and thrash the Roger Millas of this world.
Maybe the revival of the mines who are paying the new coach,are a sign of better things to come.
We shall wait and see.Good luck KK11!
Adebayor will go to town on this team!!!
I read BBC sport and none of these so called pros are ever mentioned because they either play for sub par clubs or are always on the bench.Even Zimbabwe has a regular player in the premiership.
You are right #10. I equally go through all the names in the European leagues hoping to read about an enterprizing Zambian but to no avail. What’s there to write home about, anyway.
What is the best way foward for the Zambia national team #11
after reading most of the comments i realized how most of you have no idea about what is going on just wait and see how zambia will be playing good football
that is wishfull thinking #13!
I have no comments at the moment. Kaya.
Once again the new FAZ seem to start on wrong foot. How desparate are we to settle for Ghana assistance (Phyiscal trainer).??? If this guy could not coach a Ghana team.. to me means Ghana have high standard or requirement for their Head Coach. And if we want to develop, our job specs for national coach must be upped to equal Nigeria, RSA, Ghana and other power houses in Africa.
#6 when I heard that on radio, it scared me, how quickly the GFA was willing to let go of the ‘physical’ trainer. About the contract I think they are right FIFA almost ran FAZ broke because of abrogating on Bukhard Ziese’s contract, this is just reverse mathematics. About the team and the game itself, I will comment after the game and I still remain pessimistic about Herve.
I am suprised that Adubelo Phiri has be included in the team ahead of Chamanga.Roger Kolala is by far a better player and would rather have an unfit Clifford Mulenga their than Adubelo.The guy was Zed worst player at the Nations Cup in Ghana. The same old story of picking players by name rather than form.Like #4 says Fwayo Tembo also is better option.
#16 We can’t employ a Coach of the calibre South Africa,Ghana Nigeria have employed cos we dont’t have the money? Actually the cash is their but we not willing to pay the right cash.
South Africa was paying Parreira about $252,000 per month, Nigeria B.Vorgts about $85,000 monthly.Iam not sure what Ghana was paying Claude Leroy.We will be paying the new coach $20,000 and some people are complaining that thats too much money.
#19…forget the money issue first. Do we (FAZ) have a job spec for national coach? It appears to me we don’t. The issue of always settling for the second ‘best’ or rejects like this Renard boy is not health for our country not only in soccer but every sector.
FAZ can not tell us they don’t have money when they should know that they job is to look for sponsors besides KCM. Football globally is a hugh business. RSA or Nigeria coaches are not paid by respective Gonmts, but are paid by Sponsors who FAZ need get on board. For me this is failure by FAZ to our Football as viable business. Not wonder we have not qualified to world Cup and failed to win AFCON.
#16 u are right,we Zambians like experiments,when we reach in deep water,thats when we realise that the coach we employed is a “Taka-Taka” time waster.This is too early but I wish the coach gud lucky.
Let the qualifiers begin.
It is good to see Collins Mbesuma on the list. He surely deserves a second chance. Zambia has surely not seen the last of collins
No wonder we have now switched to watching and following European Football because of such misjudgements on our Football circles. Football in Zed was long buried maybe after 10 years from now – kaya
Gents ! Do not expect miracles. First invest heavily in football and only thereafter will you be able to harvest. By the way FAZ gets financial support from FIFA, how is the money spent ? Give us a break down please FAZ.
I think Zambian football has just gone to the dogs. Not a single Zambian club has reached the CAF champions Laegue group stage. Dynamos of Zim Zim managed to eliminate ESS of Tunisia(defending champs) from the CAF competition beating them 1-0 both home and away despite the terrible situation in Zim zim.They have Benjan now a hero at Man City. As zedians what can we brag about as far as soccer is concerned?? SHAME INDEED.
please let us see what the coach has to offer unlike giving childish analysis every one has a starting point this man has a lot to prove let him prove it to us.please note: am sure we are l not born graduates but we develop with time ..we started some where in grade 1 but now we are Master holders and doctors. however let this man show as what he has to offer… be realistic am stop operating just on emotions please use your heads.. i understand that thinking is painful sometimes especially to those who are naturally negative about things.
# 20. Please read my comment wholly on #19,i was answering to the suggestion that we employ a Coach like South Africa,Ghana and Nigeria thats why i said we not willing to fork out the money like these other countries. Money is there in Zed.
On the Coach i am giving him a benefit of doubt until we have played a few games then i can judge the man.
# 20. Please read my comment wholly on #19,i was answering to the suggestion that we employ a Coach like South Africa,Ghana and Nigeria thats why i said we not willing to fork out the money like these other countries. Thats why i mentioned the money.A top class Coach comes with a Prize.
On the Coach i am giving him a benefit of doubt until we have played a few games then i can judge the man.He may not be top class but he might be a good Coach.
Zambia is one big tragedy, still rooted in the past. Now we have our white boy we can happily pay him $20,000 a month. We paid Patrick Phiri peanuts, and that was on a good day. Reason? Because Patrick was black! No self-respecting European side will employ a black coach. Now it seems the same applies to African teams. No self-respecting African side should employ a black coach! When they do, they pay them next to nothing. Somebody suggested that Kalusha is more likely to respect a white coach. Good luck guys. I gave up on our game many years ago.
29 you are too naive its not about being black or yellow ,green or what it also goes with qualifications. i can grantee you that if you just have a certificate and i have masters degrees doing the same job i will be paid more than you…your mentality is not deferent with that of some south African who want black empowerment when they are allergic to books and studding. with such a mentality i think you a uncivilized constipated racist grow up!!!!!!
Sibs, who do you think called up these players? They are the core of the team from Ghana who will play Togo. So in a sense Faz is taking no chances with a tried core of players, add to that the good players from the Libya game. I suppose it’s smart, but not very ambitious.
Before Ghana I was hoping we would have Sichone & Tana in defense, Match fitness, knee injury, to this day we don’t really know what went wrong. There are allot of players to consider, i hope we get to a stage when the players are Zambia’s strongest.
You’re expecting a PE teacher to qualify you to World Cup? You kids never learn.
32, do you know our brother Abdulaziz? You don’t contribute anything!
try me for coach – At least i will pick the best players and pay me peanuts…I will win you guys matches as it used to be in the nice KK11 days…Hope the new coach is not a friend to Kalu, Ponga or those agents calling shots in zambian money games!!!
Bushe uyu wine coach te Brouwer fye na umbi?
They say “IF YOU PAY BANANAS YOU GET MONKEYS”. Guys this coach is too cheap for us to even expect anything tangible from him. Try supporting cricket or boxing because with this guy am sure soccer revival is still a non starter.
you Africans abantu you are your own enemy. You discriminate against each other. Just because this guy is a muzungu and you think he is better than our own brand. From his cv and footballing experience he is no better than Patrick Phiri or Simukonda Fighton. This guy won’t perform better that Patrick.
We will just be enriching his cv and paying him KCM salary which we should have given our own guy.
Especially we Zambians have a very big problem no wonder we pay na basungu ifipuba more money than the umuntu Zambian. Why??????
Please,please Change your perception Zambians.
Zambians cheap things are expensive however i would request Zambians to give this frenchman a chance to prove himself. i would also suggest that he be gauged on the qualification to the Africa cup of nations. that is if he will complete talks with FAZ.
what was all the talk bout new blood from kalu and group. we seeing the same politicking from them like before and this continues to affect our game . are our football administrators really serious bout the game or just getting paid their hefty allowances.
we are now getting physical trainers as coaches
just a bunch of stupid goats , thats what FAZ is
#25 I guess the only thing happenin in ZIM is Bejani and Dynamos (If they will fulfill any feature after the printing of ZD 250M). Football in zed will come right, the raise of the copper mines in the long run will tickle down to more teams with resources.I feel we ahve fresh brains, but we will have teething problems then come good.We are still producing talents thats what matters for now.
Ladies and Gentlemen, You can get the best coach in world to Coach for our team and yield no good results.
I am a professional Coach in the USA and I know what it takes to build a great atheletes. Its almost impossible to have a great team of 11. There maybe few on the team that are committed.
I have been coaching for a number of years and no matter what great of a coach you are, you only responsible for small percentage in the success of a player. Most of it comes from the players. I wonder when I hear all these call about getting a coach and so forth.
We have been in this business for a while to know what it takes to build players or formidable teams. “die a liltle” D liwew
No offence to Coach Renard though!!!