Alienating important players is behind Halilhodzic’s dismissal, says Lekjaa

The president of the Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) Faouzi Lekjaa explained that Vahid Halilhodzic’s dismissal was due to his tendency to exclude important players from the team.

Lekjaa said that he is committed to appointing a new coach before the end of this month, in an interview with the Spanish news agency EFE.

“The national team cannot exclude high-level Moroccan players who play in teams all over the world, whatever the reason, that was how the fans and players felt.”

On Thursday, the Moroccan Federation announced in a statement the termination of Halilhodzic’s contract, who coached the national team in August 2019, by mutual consent between the two parties due to “differences” in the way the team prepared for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

When asked about the reasons for Halilhodzic’s contract termination, Lekjaa replied, “(The players and the public) did not understand the reason for excluding players who participated with the national team for six or seven years, depriving them of representing the national team for this round.”

“There was also a neglect in enhancing the players’ association with their technical team and motivating them to give their best, which is the coach’s primary role,” added the FRMF head in the interview.

“This generated a feeling of indifference. In a brotherly atmosphere, it was necessary to explain to Vahid that Moroccans are getting tired of his approach. It was necessary for everyone to go their own way with their heads held high in this period of important victories.”

Regarding the challenges facing the new coach, Lekjaa explained, “In addition to preparing the national team for the World Cup, our goals are clear: a qualification for the World Cup and the African Cup of Nations is not negotiable.”

“Since we are the second team in Africa (behind Senegal, according to the FIFA ranking), we must reach the final of the African Nations Cup. We have a year to prepare for this event, which will take place in January 2024 in Ivory Coast.”

Lekjaa, a member of the FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF) councils, explained that Halilhodzic took charge of the national team when it was going through a “transitional period between generations,” and many of its players had retired, and his task was to rebuild a strong competitive team with new players.

He highlighted that the French-Bosnian coach played his role “to the fullest possible extent” and in a “very acceptable” way, highlighting that “now if you ask me if he could have done better, I will answer yes, especially in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon for instance.”