Algeria Contacts Troussier as Doubts Surround Courbis

2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

There is a looming question mark surrounding matter of the national coach of Algeria as latest reports out of the North African country claimed wednesday that the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) is now beaming its searchlight on Philippe Troussier, as the man to mastermind the Russia 2018 dream of the Fennecs.

Algeria billed to visit Nigeria on November 12 for a World Cup 2018 African Group B qualifying fixture in Uyo, has been distracted by the failure of FAF to appoint a coach on full time basis since Serbian Milovan Rajevac departed in the wake of the Fennecs’ sharing of the dividends with Cameroun in a Group B fixture in Bilda on October 8.

The result seen as a major set back by the Algerian public has put extra pressure on the national team given that Nigeria turned the corner when the Super Eagles beat Zambia on the same day in Ndola to top the group on three points.

As reported by THISDAY, Algeria has already backed out from the pursuit of Marc Wilmots, as the most sought coach as they could not afford the Belgian’s monthly wage demand of 100,000 Euros.
It also appears as if things are not rosy for the Algerians as latest reports claimed that Rolland Courbis, who is a Plan B on FAF President Mohamed Raouraoua’s wish list, is considering offers from elsewhere, particularly French Ligue 1 side Lorient. The French side is said to be eyeing him to come on board since Christian Gourcuff ditched the club recently.

According to Algerian newspaper, Dzfoot, the ongoing scenario has now prompted Raouraoua to narrow down his choice to Troussier.

The 61 year- old Frenchman, who is based in Morocco, fits into FAF profile, having handled Ivory Coast in 1993 and Nigeria briefly in 1997. He later enriched his African knowledge with stints with Burkina Faso and South African. He appeared in two FIFA World Cups with South (1998) and Japan in (2002) and led the Japanese U-20 to the FIFA U-20 World Cup at Nigeria ’99, where they lost 3-0 to Spain in the final.