A few weeks ago, during the draw for the groups of the Africa Cup of Nations, Walid Regragui announced that the Moroccan national team would be under heavy criticism…
Is it a matter of habit or justified criticism? Perhaps a bit of both… But where things become complicated to understand is in the timing and the real validity of the criticisms themselves.
A RESIGNATION AS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE
Where things turn ridiculous is in the demands of those who criticize the coach. Based on a rather poor style of play, despite the immense quality of the players at his disposal—which is completely understandable—the only demand made is for his dismissal, one way or another. Some even seem to hope that he will throw in the towel and hand over the keys to another coach, preferably foreign, without taking into account the numerical record and the near qualification for the next World Cup achieved effortlessly… All of this does not allow him to buy himself some rest in view of the upcoming CAN at home.
THE ELIMINATION IN THE ROUND OF 16 OF THE CAN DOES NOT GO DOWN WELL
The coach pays dearly for the ignoble elimination against South Africa in the Round of 16 of the last CAN, while Morocco was considered a favorite. He has been offered a kind of purgatory without option, but without conviction from the supporters. However, even if they are undoubtedly right regarding the style of play, it remains that in Africa, other nations of the same caliber as Morocco are not doing better, or even worse… In short, it raises the question of whether these harsh criticisms are sometimes legitimate.
QUESTIONABLE CHOICES…
Another concern raised by the detractors of the coach relates to his player selections. The case of Belammari, called up after Hakimi’s suspension while Adam Aznou was part of the squad, or even the choice of El Yamiq, raises eyebrows… Additionally, the fact of giving a sort of immunity to Ounahi and others somewhat weakens Walid’s position among the supporters.
CRITICISM COMING FROM ELSEWHERE
It now seems proven that the most virulent criticisms, as well as some information circulated in the media, mainly consist of fake news that do not originate from the country itself but from abroad. This resembles a destabilization campaign orchestrated before the start of the CAN, a specialty of certain nations that wish to harm both the Moroccan team and the nation, hoping for an organizational catastrophe for the host country.
If there is one thing to highlight, it is the unity that both the coach and the president of the FRMF desire, who fully supports his coach, along with the vast majority of Moroccan supporters, even if a fringe of these supporters also wants him to step down… As the CAN approaches, it seems clear that the coach will still be in charge of the Lions of the Atlas. It is therefore time to put this possibility aside. We need to unite to support our players in order to win this trophy that has eluded us for too long. For this, Morocco needs all its vital forces, both on the field and in the stands, to push our players to transcend themselves and once again make a proud nation… the red and green people.
