Former Morocco Coach Lands a New Job

Former Morocco head coach Herve Renard has been appointed as the new coach of Saudi Arabia national team.

Renard, who resigned as Atlas Lions coach following the team’s surprise elimination at the African Cup of Nations, signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Saudi Federation.

The 50-year-old had previously been linked with a move to African teams including Cameroon but turned down the offers before sharing the news of his new role.

“Happy to start a new adventure in Saudi Arabia on a new continent,” Renard tweeted.

Saudi FA confirmed the appointment in their social media pages where they stated the new coach’s achievements during his stay in Africa.

The Frenchman took over Morocco national team coaching job in February 2016 and guided them to the 2018 World Cup in Russia their first qualification in 20 years.

His first national team coaching job in Africa was with Zambia coach in 2008 and took the team to the Nations Cup quarter-finals in Angola two years later.

The Chipolopolo were bundled out in a penalty shootout by Nigeria but Renard got a lucrative offer to stay on in Angola as their coach.

He took charge of Zambia again in late 2011 and months later they were crowned African champions. Renard coached Sochaux in Ligue 1 and almost lifted them clear of relegation, only to lose at home on the last day of the season in 2014 and go down.

After the World Cup in Brazil, he was appointed as Ivory Coast coach and took them to a long-awaited Nations Cup triumph.

He led Morocco to two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and to the World Cup in Russia in 2018 – the first time the Atlas Lions had played at the global event for 20 years.