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Join on Telegram Rabat- After all the frustration and public fervor that marked Morocco’s Group B World Cup performance in Russia, another question is now preoccupying Morocco’s footballing conversation: Will Hervé Renard retain his position as coach of the national team?
Disappointed but proud
Morocco’s early exit from the ongoing FIFA World Cup has received a wide range of interpretations both within and without Morocco. Whereas some say that failing to beat Iran was an avoidable mistake that then culminated in the team’s disappointing exit from the tournament, others are adamant that Renard’s side played well but was unlucky.
But for all the frustration and disappointment brought by a very early exit from the World Cup to a football-loving nation with high expectations that had not participated in the tournament since 1998, there is a consensus that the team’s performance and mentality have vastly improved since Renard signed with the national squad in 2016.
Before Germany’s shocking exit yesterday, some pundits had said Morocco is the best team to have failed to reach the knockout stages, reflecting the cohesion and sporting spirit that Renard’s men displayed.
Renard should stay
Sensing the fuss surrounding Renard’s future with the Atlas Lions, Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), took the initiative to “exclusively speak to the national coach,” according to Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.
Thanking the Frenchman for his team’s performance in Russia, the FRMF president reportedly reiterated his trust in Renard, saying that the Moroccan public liked and appreciated what he and his men showed in Russia.
Quoting sources close to the FRMF, Al Ahdath Maghribia noted that the final decision regarding Renard’s future with the Atlas Lions will be reached by early July.
According to the Casablanca-based outlet, Renard’s future is “an urgent issue for Moroccan football,” especially as other countries—Egypt and Algeria, for example—are keen to call on Renard to coach their national sides. Kheireddine Zetchi, the president of the Algerian Football Federation, is said to have made public Algeria’s interest in signing the French tactician.
Among Moroccan players, the general mood is that Renard should stay. Players say they are happy with his coaching style and his approach to the game. “He must stay. He should not go,” said midfielder Mbark Boussoufa. Boussoufa added: “The coach has done a remarkable job, and he should be allowed to continue what he started two years ago.”
Hervé Renard has not yet made any public statement regarding his future with the Atlas Lions following the team’s World Cup performance. He has said he would make an announcement at the appropriate time.
Sources close to the Frenchman have, however, been quoted as saying that Renard is attached to Moroccan football and is willing to renew his commitment to “complete his mission.”
