The story is over. A few days after Morocco’s elimination from the 2019 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Hervé Renard announced on Sunday his departure from the position of coach.
The Atlas Lions had been eliminated by Benin in the Round of 16 of the 2019 AFCON, in which Medhi Benatia’s team-mates, very ambitious before the start of the competition, the question is whether the Frenchman will stay.
NO TITLE BUT A NICE MANDATE
Arriving in 2016 after a failed experience on the Losc bench, Hervé Renard put his team back in order after being in the depths of the Fifa ranking (over 80th place). With the French technician, the Moroccans were going to get back into the game and get back to the top level.
He led Morocco to the quarter-finals of the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, eliminated by Egypt as a finalist and then the following year, the two-time African Cup winner with Zambia (2012) and Côte d’Ivoire (2015) will lead Morocco to its first World Cup in twenty years. Unfortunately, the adventure will end in the group stage despite a magnificent draw against Spain (2-2). This year, the Frenchman, who had been announced at the start for some time, would have liked to win a third title and allow Morocco to win a second African title after 1976. But that will not be the case.
A l’instant . Démission d’Hervé Renard de son poste d’entraîneur de l’équipe nationale marocaine@Herve_Renard_HR @FRMFOFFICIEL @EnMaroc pic.twitter.com/NqVPkOOg9d
— Arryadia TV officiel (@arryadiatv) July 15, 2019
His choices to rely on the same group of players, not necessarily starting players in clubs, on the decline, will not have worked. The failure to select local or African players will also have been criticised by the fans, who will not forget what he did during his tenure.
WHO TO REPLACE HIM?
From now on, the question of his succession arises. Who will take the reins of the selection? Several names are mentioned, such as the former glory Mustapha Hadji, who was on Hervé Renard’s staff, or Jamel Sellami, youth coach. Vahid Halilhodzic would be interested in the position. But the name that has come up most recently is Walid Regragui. A former Moroccan international, born in Essonne, he has been coaching the Rabat FUS since 2014. His profile is reminiscent of Djamel Belmadi’s, who has been successful with Algeria at the moment. Any idea to explore for the Moroccan Football Federation? The answer in the next few days.
Communiqué pic.twitter.com/4MYoA1s1Cq
— Hervé Renard (@Herve_Renard_HR) July 21, 2019
Article complet AFCON 2019: Hervé Renard resigns from his position as Morocco coach Sur L'Express.