Veteran French coach Hervé Renard has disclosed that he was close to becoming the head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

The 55-year-old tactician has been widely linked to the vacant role at the Super Eagles following the resignation of Finidi George in June.

Speculations further intensified after Renard stepped down from his role as head coach of the French women’s football team after the Paris Olympics.

As the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) continues their search for a new substantive head coach to replace Finidi George, Hervé Renard has offered some insights on why he declined the opportunity to coach the three-time African champions.

“I almost went to Nigeria. I weighed the pros and cons for several days, even weeks, before eventually turning it down. It was the best offer I’ve received so far, but it didn’t suit me in the end,” Renard told French outlet L’Équipe1.

The NFF announced German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new head coach for Nigeria, but the former Wolfsburg manager declined the offer four days after his official announcement.

In the interim, the NFF’s Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen has been charged with leading the team. Eguavoen led the Super Eagles in the qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda.

The 59-year-old will be in the dugout for the upcoming qualifiers against Libya on October 11 and 15.