Zambia coach: “We will defeat Algeria”

Zambia’s football coach Herve Renard said his team will beat Algeria in Saturday’s qualifying match. “Honestly, we are only thinking of victory. There is no doubt about that,” he told Echorouk in an interview.

• “Defeat against Algeria does not mean catastrophe”
• Renard said his players can beat the Algerian team but defeat against it does not mean catastrophe to him.
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• “We do not have any stars”
• Zambia’s coach hailed solidarity among his players, saying the team does not include famous players in the European League neither do they have extraordinary skills.
• “We only have five professional players in France and Germany.”
• “I laugh when I hear we may qualify to World Cup”
• Renard said reports on the possibility of qualification to world Cup are unreasonable. “Two months ago, no one heard about Zambia. Now, it is said it is likely to qualify to the World Cup. When I hear that, I laugh a lot.”
• “Priority is African Cup of Nations”
• Renard said the main goal of his team is qualification to the African Cup of Nations. “Victory over Algeria will almost qualify us to the African cup for sure. That would make us thinking about the World Cup at ease and without any pressure.”
• “Zambia can qualify to World Cup”
• The 40-year-old coach said the World Cup qualifications are usually full of surprises. “Togo and Angola qualified. So, would it be difficult for Zambia to do so?” he wondered.
• “Qualification to the World Cup remains a dream for every team,” he added.
• “I know Algerian football very well”
• Renard said he knows Algeria’s football especially its history when it played in the World Cup 82.
• “Ziani and Belhadj among best players in Europe”
• Renard described the Algerian players Karim Ziani and Nadir Belhadj as two of the best players in the European Championships.
• “I followed Belhadj. He is very talented and he played excellent football. I love his way of playing,” he said.
• “I hope he will play against Zambia in Saturday’s match to show a nice game. Football is meant for fun before everything. His presence in the pitch will encourage my players to beat him,” he added.
• “I love Ziani’s way of playing”
• Zambia’s coach said he loves a lot Ziani’s way of playing. “He is an excellent player. Every coach hopes to have him in his team.”
• “I did not mean to offend coach Saadane”
• Renard said he hears about Algeria’s football coach Rabeh Saadane through media reports. “He is a respectable person.”
• Speaking about words war between them, he said he does not think that it is a war. “I say again I respect a lot this man and I have never tried to offend him.”