HerveRenard is regarded as one of the successful managers in African football after having won the coveted Africa Cup of Nations title twice in his career.
He achieved this feat with an unlikely looking Zambia team a few years ago before managing to repeat the same with title favourites Ivory Coast. For several years, the national team of Ivory Coast has been a disappointment when it comes to this tournament. Despite possessing some of the best players in the world like Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré, they have been unable to lift the title. The best they could manage until now was a few final appearances.
There was a danger of Ivory Coast being called as the ‘nearly men’ forever before Renard stepped in to make a difference. Now, he has resigned as the coach of the national team after taking over at French club Lille. The Frenchman has managed clubs in the past and one of his last jobs as a club manager was in 2013 at FC Sochaux. It appears that the day-to-day involvement of managing a club has appealed to him. At just 46 years of age, he can embark on a successful managerial career only when he is involved with a club.
“My adventure with Ivory Coast was exceptional. And I sincerely think that the best moment to end our collaboration is after such a success.In all likelihood, I’m going to Lille barring a catastrophe,” said the Ivory Coast manager, who will officially give his resignation in a few days.“We thank Mr Renard for our collaboration, for the work he did at the head of the national team. We expressed to him our regret to see this collaboration end so soon,” said a spokesman for the Ivory Coast football Federation,Pierre Gondo, in a press conference.