After the Renard and Xavi rumours: why is Algeria turning towards a local duo?
Time is running out before the international break
A disappointing World Cup behind them, Algeria have yet to appoint a successor to the Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic. With no satisfactory solutions on the table and the next fixtures looming, they look likely to gamble on Ibrahim Hamdani alongside Antar Yahia.
Six of the ten African teams at the last World Cup decided to change their coaches, according to the French newspaper "L'Equipe".
Five countries have already appointed new coaches ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, scheduled for the end of this month. Algeria remain the only one yet to settle on a man.
Read also
New revelation: FIFA spent millions of dollars to protect Infantino's reputation
Detailed investigation: Infantino received gifts from Putin and used FIFA for personal purposes
Time is pressing. In the final days of September, the team play the first two rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, hosting Zambia before travelling to Burundi.
Petkovic's lacklustre spell over, Algeria had to find a coach fast. On social media, many supporters of the Greens felt the moment had arrived to sign Herve Renard.
The Frenchman had come close to the job after the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, but there was no repeat this time. The process never even got going.
Having canvassed foreign coaches, the federation announced a list of three names through the National Technical Directorate, headed by former national coach Rabah Saadane: the Spaniard Felix Sanchez Bas, his compatriot Rafael Benitez, and the Belgian Tom Saintfiet.
Sanchez, the former Qatar and Ecuador coach, opened negotiations with Algeria before making clear he was also weighing up an Asian route. Plan "A" began to evaporate.
No local name stood out strongly. Igor Tudor and Xavi were among others sounded out, but neither gave a positive response, according to "L'Equipe".
A dual mission
In the end, the Algerian federation accepted there is no ideal profile on the market right now. During the wait, they handed former Algeria international Antar Yahia the task of preparing an extended list for the September fixtures.
Yahia contacted the players and those around them to reassure them after the disappointment of the World Cup exit. That temporary job may yet turn permanent, and even grow into something bigger.
Now the federation is seriously considering a duo of Yahia and Ibrahim Hamdani. The latter surfaced on the local scene just a month ago. Appointed Algeria Under-20 coach in July, he had already led the Under-21 side to victory at the Mediterranean Games, an achievement Algeria had not managed since 1975.
The former Olympique Marseille player has a relatively modest CV. He came through the clubs of Cote Bleue, Marignane and Courbevoie in the lower French divisions.
Both men have worn the national shirt, and both know the reality of Algerian football and its environment intimately. If this option is chosen, will they be more than a temporary fix?
Experience at the highest level may be lacking, but the federation is ready to take the gamble, and even to push it further if things fall into place, with an eye on the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will co-host that tournament from 19 June to 18 July.
The final decision is due next Saturday, at a meeting of the federal bureau.
