Renard means ‘a very clever & cunning animal’ called Fox

Sunday, May 31, 2009, 14:35
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When the Football Association of Zambia (Faz) appointed Herve Renard as Chipolopolo head coach last May, very few people gave him any chance at success.

renard-kalu

Perhaps this pessimism towards the Frenchman, a former physical trainer of Ghana’s Black Stars, was justified.

The Zambia job is his first high-profile position after coaching obscure clubs like SC Draguinan and AS Cherbourg in France.

His coaching journey has also taken him via Shanghai Shenhua of China and lower league English club, Cambridge United.

But the 40-year-old is slowly becoming a household name in Zambia after guiding the Chipolopolo to a third-place finish at the inaugural African Nations Championship in Ivory Coast.

The team also produced the top scorer at the tournament for home-based players as well as the best goal of the competition.

More recently, Renard won praise from Chipolopolo fans after Zambia’s 1-1 draw against African champions Egypt in a World Cup qualifier in Cairo.

$\'No medals monsier for speaking your mind\'$

renard-medal

Renard is determined to make a name in Zambia.

But why is he succeeding with Zambian players after failing in France, Asia and England?

“Zambian players are very skilful and they are not afraid to play against anybody,” he says.

“But the secret for my success so far is the wonderful team spirit I have managed to build among my players.

“Our force and strength lies in the team spirit.”

Coincidentally, ‘Renard’ is French for a fox – a very clever and cunning animal.

Yet the human Renard does not want to be compared to the animal based on his good results with Zambia so far.

“I don’t know if I should be compared to a fox yet. Only God knows,” he chuckles.

“Maybe that comparison should come after six months because we would have known our fate in the qualifiers.”

zambia-v-egypt

The players pose for a photo with ‘The Fox‘ after Zambia held Egypt in cairo.

Zambia’s next games in the joint 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup qualifying series are against Rwanda and Algeria in June.

Renard remains confident he can go all the way and qualify the Chipolopolo for their first World Cup finals.

“I am confident about myself. I was not afraid to play against Egypt and I think the players are also confident of themselves,” he said.

“We are not afraid of anybody because we know our values.”

Renard would cement his reputation among Zambia fans forever if he is successful in taking to Zambia to the World Cup in South Africa next year.[BBC Sport]

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93 Comments on “Renard means ‘a very clever & cunning animal’ called Fox”

kayula wrote on 31 May, 2009, 15:16
efyo tulefwaya,to have a strong local league so that even these outsiders should come and play professional football like it used to be and ukututwala ku world cup !

Zambia 4 : Rwanda 1
wise wrote on 31 May, 2009, 16:47
any news on the game between zesco vs red arrows
Anonymous wrote on 31 May, 2009, 18:08
We know our values? I agree, footballers want to win, they want to play in the world cup and the africa cup, a zambia footballer knows he has to fight. So if they qualify 2 th world cup, they will have arrived. It will not be appreciation for anything.
Alex wrote on 31 May, 2009, 18:55
Zesco 1 arrows 1.
Justice Kafusha wrote on 1 June, 2009, 6:00
Målvakter: Daniel Andersson, Pär Hansson

Utespelare: Adama Tamboura, Joel Ekstrand, Marcus Nilsson, Markus Holgersson, Hannu Patronen, Fredrik Liverstam, Rene Makondele, Erik Sundin, Christoffer Andersson, Andreas Landgren, Marcus Lantz, Marcus Bergholtz, Mathias Unkuri, Henrik Larsson, Rasmus Jönsson

Indisponibla:

Olafur Skulason (ej matchtränad)
Erik Wahlstedt (ont i vaden)
Fredrik Svanbäck (bristning i ena låret)
Tobias Holmqvist (sjuk)
Magnus Arivdsson (knä)

CHANSA IS NOT MENTIONED
Vincent Numbwa wrote on 1 June, 2009, 8:47
Postive minds is what we need and not accept second best we have to go to the World Cup in SA2010 at all costs if we fail then let us win the African Cup in Angola.
Magic wrote on 1 June, 2009, 9:12
When we qualify for the World Cup we should give HR a farm and find him a Zambian woman to marry. LOL.
Chamz wrote on 1 June, 2009, 9:21
Magic, HR is married.
Seen from afar wrote on 1 June, 2009, 9:30
It’s nice that we can all feel truly positive for once, it’s all down to hard work and that is not going to stop here. Long way to go, but we do not want to be mediocre any more. One…
Big Steve from SA wrote on 1 June, 2009, 9:43
If Renard qulifys us to 2010 and does well in Angola he definitely will be one of those coaches that Zambians will always remember.

Looks like Mweene is headed for Pirates. The chairman will announce the four new players who include a goal keeper when he gets back to SA from England were he went to watch the FA cup. I really hope Clifford is also on that list.

It was good to see Songwe still has game in him. He produced the most promising strike in the nil all draw with Thanda Royal. Hopefully his team wins the playoff on the 7th and we have more Zambians makin a mark in the PSL. Sad that his brothers (Linos) team has fallen back into the Mvela. They just could not hold there own in the top flight.

We should beat Rwanda by a criket score to take away the mathematical stories we find ourselves in all the time. outright win, not 1-0 or 2-0 the coach should plan around a 4-0 score line or more.
Chamz wrote on 1 June, 2009, 9:58
I don’t think they will be a cricket scoreline, guys a win is a win thats all.
Sibs wrote on 1 June, 2009, 9:59
Big Steve from SA :If Renard qulifys us to 2010 and does well in Angola he definitely will be one of those coaches that Zambians will always remember.
Looks like Mweene is headed for Pirates. The chairman will announce the four new players who include a goal keeper when he gets back to SA from England were he went to watch the FA cup. I really hope Clifford is also on that list.
It was good to see Songwe still has game in him. He produced the most promising strike in the nil all draw with Thanda Royal. Hopefully his team wins the playoff on the 7th and we have more Zambians makin a mark in the PSL. Sad that his brothers (Linos) team has fallen back into the Mvela. They just could not hold there own in the top flight.
We should beat Rwanda by a criket score to take away the mathematical stories we find ourselves in all the time. outright win, not 1-0 or 2-0 the coach should plan around a 4-0 score line or more.

Big Steve do you know where the National team is training? I heard it’s Milpark ground but it looks like Bafana Bafana are also using the same stadium.
Big Steve from SA wrote on 1 June, 2009, 10:10
@Sibs
I’m not sure, haven’t had the time to take the drive down and see if they are there.

Chamz :I don’t think they will be a cricket scoreline, guys a win is a win thats all.

I agree a win is a win but lets not forget that the term goal difference also applies in soccer. It may just drum down to not having scored that extra goal that prevented us from going to 2010. When we have the chance of a cricket score line lets go for it with all our hearts, it might be the thing that just makes the difference.
vinco 1 wrote on 1 June, 2009, 10:14
Division 1 South Results

National assembly FC 1 vs 1 Profund Worriors FC

Lusaka tigers FC 1 Vs 1 Lusaka celtic FC

LCC FC 1 vs 2 Chipata Police Bullets FC

Please include other results you know
Sibs wrote on 1 June, 2009, 10:28
@Big Steve from SA

Thanks Big Steve.
Luapula Fish wrote on 1 June, 2009, 10:55
This is very good that we are having division 1 teams in areas lik Chipata and Mansa ,this will help as a channel for tapping rural talents. However,their stay inthe division is very much affected by mass exodus of players
David Chiluka wrote on 1 June, 2009, 11:10
Does any one know if we have already played Pirates reserve side yet?
Justice Kafusha wrote on 1 June, 2009, 11:17
David Chiluka :Does any one know if we have already played Pirates reserve side yet?

5-0 to Zambia
Billy wrote on 1 June, 2009, 11:24
Justice Kafusha :

David Chiluka :Does any one know if we have already played Pirates reserve side yet?

5-0 to Zambia

Thats the scoreline I would like to see Zambia give Rwanda. We should be able to trample upon such opposition.
David Chiluka wrote on 1 June, 2009, 11:45
Thats what am talking about!
Am sure this sends a cold chill in the spine of the ouyt spoken Amavubu supporter. Ukose noku kosa.
Magic wrote on 1 June, 2009, 12:35
Chamz :Magic, HR is married.

The more the merrier…LOL. Ok, we should at least offer him Chipungu’s job. LOL.
Vincent Numbwa wrote on 1 June, 2009, 13:30
Majic please!!!!!.

Ba Chamz, Big Steve is right on the beating Rwanda. Let us not make a mistake and play spairingly and be content with any win becouse every one else in the group will beat Rwanda on their turf and the determining factor will be by how many goals.

Games between Zambia , Egypt and Algeria will be won with the least of scorelines. By the time Egypt and Algeria will be playing Rwanda they will aim to outscore our June 6 game. If we can be that caution to be content with a 1:0 win becouse a “win is a win” then our worst is yet to come. If there is a game that we should win with an impressive scoreline it is this Rwanda game. We all Know what Togo did to go to the world cup they lost some games even to Zambia yes but with a small margin but won all their home games with high scores.

Wining convincingly should not be an option but a must if Zambia has to go to the world cup. On paper and in reality the June 6 game will not be as hard a game as the other games to come. After what we did in Cairo Egypt will come down on us breathing fire. The Algerian coach is crying aheard of Egypt game and while Malawi is beating Rwanda and people are be content with any win.
cephas Mkandawire wrote on 1 June, 2009, 13:57
HR’s contract is based on Africa Cup and World Cup qualification. Therefore, we shall judge him when he acheives this. The good perfomance so farmer is just but a foundation which we should not be content with. Go HR! Go chipolopolo! You and us can do it. All the best lads.
sak's swazi wrote on 1 June, 2009, 14:55
Let’s not talk cricket scorelines.Let’s be satisfied with a win..
Anonymous wrote on 2 June, 2009, 6:20
sak’s swazi :Let’s not talk cricket scorelines.Let’s be satisfied with a win..

You dont understanding qualification to major tournaments.
Lozi-man wrote on 2 June, 2009, 8:44
sak’s swazi :Let’s not talk cricket scorelines.Let’s be satisfied with a win..

Leave this site if you are not a chipolopolo fan. Cricket scoreline is needed to avoid mathematics at the end of the tournament. What the guys mean is that we may have the same points with say Egypt or Algeria. What may matter would be the goal difference. Thats the whole idea of scoring a lot of goals in home matches.
Abena Digger's Town wrote on 3 June, 2009, 11:52
I agree with sak’s swazi, we need a cricket scoreline cause when we will tie up with another team like the phararoes or Algeria on points,the goal difference will help matters.Nonetheless we need to win all our home matches and at least draw two aways games nishi ni zee pa Zed.