Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodžić has described the end of his tenure with Morocco national football team as one of the harshest moments of his career, breaking a long silence during his presentation as the new head coach of FC Nantes.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Halilhodžić said his dismissal shortly before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatarwas a “terrible” and unfair moment after he had successfully led Morocco through qualification.
The veteran coach said the opportunity to appear at the World Cup for the third time in his career had effectively been taken away from him despite guiding the team to the tournament with a string of victories.
Halilhodžić also revealed details about the disagreements that ultimately led to his departure. He said he refused pressure to include certain players in Morocco’s World Cup squad, insisting on maintaining the group he had built during the qualification campaign.
“I am different by nature. They ask me to be diplomatic, but I take full responsibility for my decisions,” he said, adding that his stance ultimately cost him his job.
Regarding his new role in France, Halilhodžić said he had come to Nantes determined to take on a major challenge and achieve something exceptional with the club.
The 72-year-old coach said he had initially decided to retire following the disappointment of his departure from Morocco but ultimately chose to return to management with renewed determination despite the bitterness of that experience.
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