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Unsurprisingly, the press conference which followed Algeria’s new rout at the African Cup of Nations was marked by intense tension.
Algeria experienced a new tragedy on Tuesday. Opposed to modest Mauritania, the Fennecs lost 1-0 and were left with another elimination from the group stage of the African Cup of Nations. The fiasco of 2021 was not an accident and like two years ago, Algeria leaves the competition without having won a single match since before hitting rock bottom with this shameful defeat against Mauritania (1-0) , Djamel Belmadi’s men had to settle for two draws against Angola (1-1) and Burkina Faso (2-2).
This new failure for Algeria is undoubtedly one too many for the Algerian coach. According to RMC, the former midfielder would have announced his resignation to his players at the end of the meeting. The former Marseillais, however, did not want to say anything about his intentions at a press conference, waiting for “the return to the country” to talk about his future. This appearance in front of the media was also marked by a bloodbath from the first question against a journalist from DZ Foot.
“Anyway, from the start, you’ve been on a mission, he said to him. It’s known, DZ Foot, since the beginning, it’s like that. You did not specify that I was one of the rare coaches, perhaps the second to have won the African Cup of Nations. »And Djamel Belmadi probably did not see at that time that the site specializing in Algerian football had not hesitated to put a zero for all Algerian players in its notes.
First response from Belmadi to Dzfoot:
“You are on a mission, I have known you for six years, you say that I am the first Algerian coach to be eliminated in the first round, also say that I am the second coach to have won the CAN… I do not need of… pic.twitter.com/q7LYfmZxab
— Chebli Ishaq (@IshaqChebli) January 23, 2024
“I don’t care about your thanks because I’ve known you for six years, he continued, still as angry as ever. The question, I don’t even know what to answer to that. If it starts like that… It’s not even journalism. You have been on a mission from the start, I already told you that anyway. Next question. »
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Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.