Ibrahim Gusau, President of the Nigeria Football organisation, has denied allegations that the organisation is considering Hervé Renard, France’s women’s national team coach, for the Super Eagles post.
The Eagles have been without a head coach since June, when Finidi George quit.
Finidi resigned as head coach of the three-time African champions when the NFF announced that they will assign a foreign technical adviser to the team.
The decision was made in response to a public outcry over the team’s dismal performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, including a shocking defeat to Benin Republic last month.
Renard is now the head coach of France’s women’s national team, however he just stated that he intends to leave after the Paris Olympics next month.
His decision to leave the French team spurred suspicions tying him to the vacant Eagles job, with many claiming that the football body had contacted the two-time AFCON-winning coach for the position, with just his salary being the stumbling block.
In an interview, Gusau denied that the federation and the Frenchman were in negotiations.
“I am not aware of that right now,” he stated.
Regarding the idea that the NFF would have to break the bank to give the French coach a large monthly salary of $180,000, the NFF boss responded, “Did you see that from any NFF communication channel? It comes from people who are constantly seeking to cause confusion.”
Renard previously managed the Zambian national team, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012; he also won the competition in 2015 with the Ivory Coast, making him the first coach to win two Africa Cup of Nations with different teams.
In addition, he coached Morocco at the 2018 World Cup.
According to reports, the 55-year-old seasoned coach is in talks with a handful of Saudi Arabian clubs as well.
Renard is one of the managers expected to take over the United States men’s national team following the resignation of Gregg Berhalter, who guided the USMNT to an early exit during the 2024 Copa America.