Coach Herve Renard (Photo: AFP)
French manager Herve Renard and Belgian George Leekens are the favorite candidates to lead the Egyptian national team, after their appearance in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
"Renard is believed to be leaving Ivory Coast [after he inspired them to win the tournament], and Leekens…won't continue with Tunisia. And both are the most favoured for the post," the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) board member Mahmoud El-Shamy told an Egyptian TV program Tuesday.
"We have already negotiated with Renard, reaching agreements regarding his financial demands and his staff," he added.
Renard won the AFCON before in 2012 with Zambia, while Leekens, in this year's tournament suffered a controversial loss to Equatorial Guinea in the quarterfinals.
"The next Egyptian coach will be a foreigner, I swear. The association will announce his name before 28 February," he concluded.
Egypt, winners of the Nations Cup a record amount of times with seven titles under their belt, dismissed coach Shawky Gharib after they set an unwanted record of failing to qualify for the biennial tournament three times in a row.
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