France Women’s Team coach Hervé Renard not allowed to Ivory Coast 'on loan'

As reported by L’Équipe, the French Football Federation has refused the Ivorian federation’s request to release France Women coach Hervé Renard(55) “On loan” for the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.

“Les Éléphants “fired their coach Jean-Louis Gasset in the wake of a shock 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in the second group stage game of their campaign and had hoped to bring back AFCON specialist Renard for the knockout stages, for which they qualified as one of the four best third-placed teams thanks to Morocco’s 1-0 victory over Zambia on Wednesday.

Frenchman Renard is known as a serial winner of Africa’s continental showpiece, having been victorious in improbable circumstances with Zambia in 2011 and then with the Ivory Coast in 2015. He also coached Morocco to the round of 16 in 2019, eventually losing on penalties to Benin.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the French Football Federation refused the request and the Ivorians will be left to look elsewhere for an interim coach.