Herve Renard quickly retired from his last job managing the Saudi Arabia men's team. Photo: Getty Images/Franck Fife Standing in an untucked long-sleeved white shirt, with his hands behind his back and a brooding expression, France coach Herve Renard exudes a calm atmosphere that belies the chaotic nature of the nine-goal thriller being played out. in front of him in Sydney.
However, as a coach who oversaw one of the biggest shocks of the World Cup when Saudi Arabia beat Argentina in the Men's World Cup last November, he is well used to drama major tournaments.
He barely reacts when World No. 52 Panama suddenly takes the lead in the second minute when Martha Cox delivers a stunning free kick that could theoretically knock out his team. He is just as deadpan when France leads the race 3-1. His biggest reaction comes when France go 4-1 up at halftime. He begins to applaud and makes a rare foray into the edge of his technical area to celebrate by slapping scorer Léa Le Garrec on the arm.
< p> When the final whistle blows, with France winning 6-3, top Group F and will be among the last 16, this will be the first time that the team coached by Renard has qualified for the play-offs since exiting the group stage with the Moroccans in 2018 and Saudi Arabia in 2022. France's earlier victory over Brazil also made him the first coach to win both the men's and women's World Cups.
La Causerie très puissante d'Hervé Renard avant France Brésil 🗣️🇫🇷
📽️ @FFF 1/2 pic.twitter.com/c1oF3irLXD
— Femmes Foot News 📰 (@femmesfootnews) July 30, 2023
Born in the foothills of the Alps, Renard is a seasoned manager who previously managed Cambridge United. He has also won the Africa Cup of Nations twice as a manager, first with Zambia in 2012 and then with Ivory Coast in 2015, but the task of leading France to their first major trophy is perhaps the most difficult. a task for him.
Despite reaching the 1/8 finals and scoring six goals, he was dissatisfied with the game. He rested several key players after defeating Brazil and said: «What I saw tonight was not good enough.»
“In the second half, the girls did not play the way they should have. [Some of them] need to work a little and tighten up. We were leading 5:1, the game was in the long run — all my leaders were sitting on the bench. It will show the younger girls to play to the end.”
He has only been with the team since the end of March, but has quickly found success replacing Corinne Diacre. , whose tenure ended in disarray as Wendy Renard, Marie Antoinette Catoto and Cadidiatou Diani publicly announced their refusal to play under her.
On Wednesday, Diani scored a hat-trick and the mood in the camp changed. Le Garrec, who had been absent from France for over five years under Diacre, simply said: “I am here because of him [Renard]. He trusts me, he trusts me. Even if he's hard on me sometimes, I want to play him.»
Renard took charge of the Saudis& Team # 39 during the World Cup in Qatar. Photo: Getty Images/Hector Vivas
Despite how calm and balanced Renard looks on the touchline, he is not always so. His pep talk at half-time as Saudi Arabia coach seemed to inspire his team to stun Lionel Messi and his team in Qatar, and he once again delivered another moving monologue in the dressing room last week, this time ahead of victory. France over Brazil.
But he's here with a clear goal: to win. Anticipating the playoffs, he concludes: “This is a real competition that starts now, these are the decisive stages, the playoffs. We know what we want, we know why we came. Now let's go and find him, all together.»
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