Zambia coach Herve Renard has denied the Nigeria Football Federation wanted him to replace Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles manager.
Keshi had claimed that the NFF offered the job to the Chipolopolo manager during the South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations won by Nigeria on Sunday. The Eagles beat surprise finalists Burkina Faso 1-0 to lift their third Africa Cup of Nations title.
“After we played Ethiopia they (NFF) called me to a meeting. The board members and the President of the NFF, they told me that I could not read the game very well and that the changes I was making were not the right changes,” Keshi was quoted as saying.
“They asked me if I was not watching the Zambia coach and how he does his changes and how he coaches his team.”
However, Frenchman Renard denied having any discussion with any Nigerian officials over Eagles job.
“I don’t know anything about this story,” Renard, who has 18 months remaining on his Zambian contract, told Zambia Daily Mail on Thursday.
The former Angola coach wondered why he would be linked with any Nigeria post when they are the African champions.
“I am not coming in on this topic because I don’t know anything about this story,” Tmes of Zambia quoted Renard as saying.
“Keshi is a very good local coach. Congratulations to him and Nigeria.”
Keshi resigned shortly after helping Nigeria win the Nations Cup, but rescinded his decision following intervention by the government.
The 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner, who equalled the feat of Egypt’s Mahmoud El Gohary by winning gold medals as a player and a coach, said although he had issues with the NFA, they had been resolved.
“Well, there were issues to make things better in the team and all around our football sector,” the former New Nigeria Bank captain told reporters in Abuja on Tuesday.
“But, I spent about four to five hours with the minister to sort things out and how to move the team forward.
“But on resignation, I am here now.’’
Punch Nigeria
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