New coach asks for Tunisia's reaction and maintains hope for the World Cup

Hervé Renard officially began his mission as head of the Tunisian national team with a speech of confidence and reconstruction. Presented in Monterrey, the 57-year-old French coach stated that the moment demands an immediate reaction after the 5-1 defeat suffered by Sweden in the opening match of the World Cup, a result that culminated in Sabri Lamouchi's departure from coaching.

In his first press conference, Renard revealed that he had spoken directly with the players and sought to regain the group's trust. According to him, there is still time to change the team's history in the tournament.

"I told the players that they have to lift their heads and move forward. They are here to represent the country, and that is an honor, but also a duty. There are still two games left. It's a World Cup and, as long as there is life, there is hope," he said.

The coach acknowledged the pressure surrounding his arrival, but assured that he takes the responsibility naturally. For Renard, the main challenge is to rebuild the team's collective spirit, something that, in his opinion, was lacking in the debut.

"There are a lot of expectations for me, but that's not a problem. Nothing is finished yet. We all need to move in the same direction, as a supportive team. That's what was missing in the 5-1 and that's what we need to correct immediately," he declared.

Renard also made a point of showing solidarity with Sabri Lamouchi, his predecessor, and recalled that the players felt deeply the change of command in the midst of the competition.

"I know Sabri Lamouchi. He ended up paying the price for the consequences of that result. The players were sad for him and his coaching staff. I have a special thought for all of them," he said.

Tunisia's next challenge will be against Japan, an opponent that the Frenchman knows well and did not hesitate to praise.

"In my opinion, Japan is the best team in Asia. They are a very organized team, with great collective spirit and quality players. We will need to play an almost perfect match," he said.

Tunisia and Japan face each other on June 21st, at the El Gigante de Acero Stadium, in Monterrey.

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Source: CNN