Second comings in football coaching are never very successful and on Tuesday Herve Renard is in a fight to buck the trend.
Renard begins his second coming on the highest of profiles when Zambia face Nigeria away in a friendly in Kaduna.
Nigeria are no strangers to Renard against whom he has technically never lost to in open play.
The two teams met in Durban, South Africa where they drew 0-0 in their first friendly in January, 2010 just before heading to Angola for the Africa Cup.
Their paths were soon to cross again in Lubango in the Africa Cup quarterfinals that Nigeria won via a penalty shootout after another scoreless result in the 90 minutes.
Renard has almost the same team from that last two meetings that this time includes a revived looking Collins Mbesuma.
The Frenchman has returned to find a more mature Emmanuel Mayuka but on a low note a half fit Felix Katongo.
And Renard has pinned his new plans around Felix whom he says he will most definitely be taking to Equatorial Guinea for the Africa Cup in January.
Meanwhile, midfielder Rainford Kalaba returns to the team after serving a one-match suspension that saw him miss the Libya game.
Kalaba’s dynamism will be key on Tuesday following lackluster performances by his substitutes against Libya in that scoreless draw at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola.
One would think this article had to be written with ethusiasm to wet our appetites…but again just maybe its wishful thinking from my part wanting more creative journalism…God’sblessing Ba Zambia, Botswana managed a draw just three days ago in Nigeria, they are wanting for us but surely boys have fun and most importantly look for your strengths (to improve on them) and your weakness (to tighten!)…Sliver bullet for life!
HA! GREAT KALU INTENDING TO CASH IN ON CLUBLESS PLAYERS AS USUAL. GOOD LUCK IN MARKETING FELIX KATONGO. BUT THEN, WE ARE LOSING OUT ON IN FORM SAKUHAWA.
What the kick off time?
Go Chipolopolo, we are behind you!
pa zed with recycled materials including human beings.anyway whats the k.o.time?
18:00 hrs on DSTV. Not sure about ZNBC better TV.
actually 1730 on super spot 3,3A,9 and 10.thanx no 6.
I want to watch this game win or lose, so I must leave the office at 16:30. It will show how much we have developed so far. Rena plays attacking game as opposed to Bunnet was afraid of going forward. This is why he wants to use Felix who is a faster player. I want to see if January will be an interesting month. We have been duped again that Jacob is not fit. His club just does not want him to travel. FAZ should grow more teeth but I want to thank FAZ for organising a good friendly.
U have ur facts wrong. Renard was overly defensive. Zambia never won with a. 2 goal margin with him. The team had more draws and losses. Bonetti made the boys score. Renard can’t plot a scoring formula
#1 LT must a nature or employ a sports journalist and not the Nkana FC cadre there iz now.
It will be an interesting game but i feel Jonas Sakuwaha should have been considered by the coach. Felix Katonga’s fitness is in question, ever since the problems in Libya started. Lets wait and see how it comes out
is it possible to watch it in europe?
Number 11# if yu hv african channels yu cn watch it expecially those nigerian stations..am watching now
# 11. Yes go to Supersport.com web site . It shows it will be streamed live ! Good lick na ma kula ya kantu !
Supersport – Live Video Streaming
International Friendly: Nigeria vs Zambia
Tue, 15 Nov @ (17:55)
k210m – Thank God Govt finally realised it was wasting tax payers money on FAZ
Go zambia go.
i think ba Renard shud also consider sinkala for afcon in junary bushe mulandushi apanga kuli ba kalu? becoz one wil wonder why u can be using the unfit young katongo when there even players like sinkala. shud u leave him(sinkala) and sakuwaha then dont even count your self to go as far as quater finals. for this afcon we need quality players like kalaba, jacob, chris, saku, kola, clifford, fwayo, mbesuma and that boy mayuka we can even lift the cup. i think wat FAZ shud do now, is to just to turget the trophy any thing below that tell the freanch man that an exit door will be shown to you. surelly, how do u turget the semi-finals when pipo need the trophy i think ba coach must be serious. on today’s game i think we ar winning by two goals to one
walasa1Sinkala in Performing in Bundesliga
So tufikala twalalusa! awe mwandi!
With Renard at the helm, it’s not inspiring to watch the game. We’ll watch for the sake of being Zambian & the usual support we’ve given the team in the past.
What do expect from our national team(Zambia National Team)!!!!!!!!!!!We have a finished and recycled coach(rena ) also playing finished team(Nigeria National Team)!!!!!!!!!What are we achieving!!!!!!!!!!
Botswana was very impressive with a new young
goalkeeper.We hope Utupolopolo are inspired by the new comers to AFCON -Botswana
You broke my ribs and made me shed tears, by your “Utupolopolo” term. You made my day, thanks
the game has started early 3 minutes played already. so far we are under pressure
zambia 0, nigeria 1 in 9 minutes
Keep us informed
Any latest standing on the game ma guys?
still 1:0 nigeria
baleminyopola mulelapila!
The ground is pathetic.Is it clay?We dont have a team.psychologically and mentally we are out.Maybe the second half we can improve.We are making school kid errors.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
And we are supposed to be competing at the AFCON in eight weeks? God help us!
2-0.we are technically inferior and most players are tourists and passengers.The coach must work on tactics,movement on and off the ball,passing and shooting.we dont seem to know where the goal post is.Our square balls are terrible.Zambia is known for being deadly on square balls.The coach has work to do.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
C’mon are we still down?
Uuuuh too bad we are far from winning AC!
Caf-u what is your final comment on the game?Any room of improvement to beat Ghana?
Nigeria 2: Zambia 0..ukudabwa ni donchi!!
Pate # 16
Ask Galu that question. why Sinkala cant play 4 Zed is the same reason why Sichone had an abrupt end to his international career, Galu.
Zambia chew grass and dust once more. Yaba
Zambia chews grass and dust once more. Yaba!!!
LT where are my post?
Michaelme,Zambia can improve ahead of the world cup qualifiers.We need to get back to the Zambian game of stringing passes and being deadly on square balls.We have to pass the ball astutely.Its all in the training programe and players mind.The coach must know the Zambian game,exactly what the Zambian game is.There are many ex-Zambian players who know the secret of the Zambian.I can also help to get back the Zambian game.The architect was Buselic.The world feared Zambia then.Do you remember the ’93 team,the coaches and players!Their minds and bodies were full of the Zambian game.If we can go back to that then we can win games and qualify for the world cup.Good luck.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.