French coach Herve Renard says he will not leave his post as Zambia coach

Coach Herve Renard says quitting Zambia is totally not on his mind despite the Chipolopolo’s disastrous showing at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Zambia exited the finals on Tuesday after drawing 0-0 with the Burkinabe.

The point, which left last year’s winners third in Group C, represented the first time the defending champions had failed to reach the knock-out stages since Algeria suffered the same fate in 1992.

The Frenchman is Zambia’s most successful coach after leading Chipolopolo to their first Africa Cup title in 2012 at the tournament jointly hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

But there have been calls from many quarters for the coach to be sacked but the coach insists he will not be sacked by his employers.

“You know Zambia is not like a lot of countries around the World,” Renard said.

“Meaning we are friends and brothers.

“And if someone doesn’t want to continue with me, it is very simple we can even go out and eat something together then take my bag and leave but I don’t think it will be like this in Zambia.”

Zambia failed to reach the quarterfinals stage of this year’s Africa Cup after finishing third in Group C.

Chipolopolo relinquished their crown on three points from as many draws and were two points behind Group C winners Burkina Faso and runners-up Nigeria who finished tied on five points to advance to the last eight.

This is Renard’s second stint as Zambia coach after earlier leading them to the quarterfinals in 2010 for the first time since 1996.

Renard quit in April 2010 to take up a lucrative posting to coach Angola but left the Palancas Negras job just six months into a two-year deal.

The Frenchman returned to the Zambia post in November 2011 following the departure of his successor Dario Bonetti of Italy who was fired shortly after qualifying Zambia to the 2012 finals.