Herve Renard was the obvious first choice of four shortlisted foreign coaches by the NFF technical committee to take over the Super Eagles.
However, the committee’s recommendation of Renard was based on the condition that the NFF can afford him.
The coach, who guided Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire to win the AFCON, co-operated with the NFF on a possible appointment, SCORENigeria further learnt.
His agent represented him in these talks during which he asked for a monthly salary of $180,000 for his client.
He later lowered expectations to $1.5 Million-a-year.
This still put in the shade $840,000-a-year or $70,000-a-month Jose Peseiro earned in his first contract as Super Eagles coach.
It is what scuttled an agreement with Renard ruling himself out of the post as a result.
Former Manchester United assistant coach, Steve McClaren, was second in the ranking on the shortlist.
He spoke directly with the technical committee and was very much interested in the job.
However, when a decision had not been taken by the NFF, he opted for a new adventure in Jamaica.
Both former Mali coach Eric Chelle and Tom Saintfiet, who is currently with the Philippines, were placed on equal pegging in the rankings.
