Algeria Football – The current coach of Saudi Arabia, Hervé Renard, talks about the immense pressure he experienced in Morocco, where expectations were “crazy”.
Hervé Renard, freshly back at the head of the Saudi Arabian selection, gave an interview to *Figaro* in which he spoke about his coaching career, in particular his time at the head of the Moroccan selection. Six years after his departure from Morocco following an elimination in the 2019 African Cup of Nations, Renard does not forget the intensity of the moments experienced on the bench of the Atlas Lions, in particular due to the immense pressure which weighed on his shoulders.
For the French coach, the pressure he suffered in Morocco was “crazy”. He explains that this pressure went beyond the pitch, in particular because of the constant requests from supporters who recognized him in the streets. “It’s difficult for me to go out into the streets, because people ask you, talk to you about football, the players, the country’s expectations,” confides Renard. Such a situation, although flattering, was also a burden, making the coach’s daily life difficult. However, he clarifies that he prefers this pressure to hostility, evoking the idea that “it’s better than receiving stones”.
For Renard, this pressure is an integral part of the profession, but it is also proof of the importance of football in countries like Morocco, where the sport is experienced as a true national passion. He is also lucid about the need to adapt to this type of constraints when evolving at this level.
This exchange with *Figaro* recalls the challenges that high-level coaches face, particularly in countries where expectations around performance are particularly high.
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Morocco
