Renard (right) wants to guide his players to be more organised tactically
Zambia coach Herve Renard has expressed displeasure over his players’ instincts to launch into all-out attack.
The Frenchman said that his side is technically gifted but needs to maintain more tactical discipline.
The Chipolopolo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations after beating the National Lightning of Equatorial Guinea 1-0 on Monday.
“If you left the Zambian players to their own devices, the whole team would just join the attack,” Renard said.
In 2010, we played the first game against Tunisia (and won) and I was wearing a white shirt. The second game … I put on a blue shirt and we lost
Zambia coach Herve Renard on his ‘lucky white shirt’
“They love to play all the time. So we have to try and keep their style, to stay organised at the same time and use the experience we got in 2010 (in Angola).”
Invariably vibrant and entertaining to watch, Zambia topped Group A after beat Senegal and co-hosts Equatorial Guinea, while drawing with Libya.
They will find out their quarter-final opponents when Group B is completed on Monday evening, with the Zambians potentially facing Ivory Coast, Angola or even Sudan in the next round.
Renard, who once led English lower league side Cambridge United, was previously assistant to Claude Le Roy with Ghana and said the World Cup quarter-finalists were on a different level in tactical terms.
“I was lucky to have my chance with Ghana, they are fantastic players. Tactically they are perfect because they all play at the highest level,” he said.
Renard led Zambia to the 2010 Nations Cup quarter-finals, resigning shortly after before returning last October following the sacking of Italian Dario Bonetti.
Twice runners-up, Zambia have reached consecutive quarter-finals for the first time since 1996.
Despite their impressive progress, Young Boys striker Emmanuel Mayuka is the only one of the 23-man squad playing for a top-level European club (after injury ruled out Jacob Mulenga).
The rest are based at home, in South Africa, DR Congo, China and the Russian second division.
Meanwhile, Renard has revealed that he wears the same white shirt at every match for superstitious reasons, which date back to beating Tunisia in the first match at Angola 2010.
“In 2010, we played the first game against Tunisia and I was wearing a white shirt,” said the Frenchman.
“The second game I changed because I said I can’t wear all the time the same, and I put on a blue shirt and we lost against Cameroon.”
“I think I won’t change – but don’t worry, I clean it after the game. It is very clean – no problem.”