VOLGOGRAD: Both Egypt and Algeria are considering Morocco’s Herve Renard as their future coach with the North African national teams looking to fill the vacancies in their respective dugouts.
Morocco may have been knocked out of the World Cup with just one point, but the Atlas Lions impressed with how they played — only narrowly losing to Iran and Portugal before being very unlucky not to beat Spain in a 2-2 thriller on Monday.
The same day as Morocco’s World Cup exit Algeria fired Rabah Madjer, appointed in October to rebuild a team that failed to qualify for the tournament in Russia, as head coach.
Algeria FA president Kheireddine Zetchi has declared an interest in Renard along with Vahid Halilhodzic, who led Algeria to the knockout stage of the 2014 World Cup, and Iran boss Carlos Queiroz
“Halilhodzic and Renard are both on our list, Queiroz is a seasoned coach, he has experience with Iran, he may be in our list,” Zetchi said. “I will not go more than that on the names, we have a list, we will start the negotiations once we have settled things with Madjer.”
The president said that he wanted a French-speaking coach with knowledge of North African football who has had results on the international stage. Renard is seen as the front-runner but Zetchi has also said he will not rush despite reports in the Moroccan media that Egypt have already made an offer.
“We will wait until the end of the World Cup. I think there will be coaches who will leave their current positions.”
Egypt, who were hugely disappointing in Russia losing all three of their Group A matches, announced on Tuesday that the contract of Hector Cuper would not be extended. Not only had the Argentine led the Pharaohs too the bottom of a group seen as the weakest in the tournament, but there was severe criticism over the team’s defensive tactics both before and during the tournament.
In a meeting at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo, there was a majority of executives in favor of hiring another foreign coach with sources claiming that Renard is top of the list that also includes Halilhodzic. 
Egypt Football Association boss Hany Abo Rida admitted that Renard was an attractive prospect but that his current employment conditions are the major stumbling block.
“There may be negotiations with Renard if he breaks his contract with the Moroccan team only,” Abo Rida said.
Renard, who joined Morocco in February 2016, has a contract until 2022 but was non-committal on Monday when asked about his future.
“Now is the time to savour this moment,” said the Frenchman.
“I will think about the future later.”
Former Egyptian international Tarek Mostafa has called upon the federation to move quickly for the 49 year-old. “I hope that Renard can be the coach of Egypt,” said Mostafa, who is the head coach of Moroccan club Rapide Qued Zem. “ He is the best and he can achieve good results with us, and his style suits Egypt perfectly.”
This World Cup was the first time four Arab teams qualified — Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia — leading to hope that at least one of the would make it through to the second round. However, while none of them disgraced themselves, all four failed to progress to the knockout stages, leading Tunisia coach Nabil Maaloul to comment that Arab teams need two generations to reach the top level.
The Tunisia coach was speaking after watching his Tunisia side thrashed 5-2 by Belgium in a match that underlined the gulf between the two teams.
“We did not disappoint the Arab world, we did not give up on our Arab fans,” the Tunisian coach said.
“We need two more generations to reach (the top) level of performance in terms of fitness and physical strength. We are far from the required level.”
That view was echoed by the side’s captain, Wabhi Khazri who said: “The level was too high, too elevated over the (tournament).”