Morocco’s national football team coach, Walid Regragui, has responded to recent criticism about his involvement with the Olympic team and clarified his role. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, Regragui addressed concerns about his presence with the “Atlas Cubs” and his interactions with Olympic team coach Tarik Sektioui.
“I was the one who chose Sektioui as the Olympic team coach,” Regragui said. “There has been a lot of fuss about my presence with the Olympic team, and many questions were raised… Why is Regragui with the Olympic team? What is he doing there? It’s important to clarify this point.”
Regragui explained that after the 2022 Qatar World Cup, he met with the national technical management and Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, to discuss future plans. He was tasked with overseeing the Olympic team alongside its technical staff.
“I don’t understand why my presence with the Olympic team was questioned when former coach Issam Charai was in charge. I supported him, and we aimed to win the Africa Cup, which we did. Another goal was to secure an Olympic medal,” Regragui said.
He added, “I selected Tarik Sektioui as the Olympic team coach during a challenging time. I appreciate the Football Federation’s trust. Sektioui and his team worked diligently, and we achieved our goal. If we hadn’t succeeded, people would have criticized my choice of Sektioui.”
Regarding Sektioui’s future role, Regragui said Sektioui will continue coaching the Olympic team, focusing on developing young players and improving local and professional talent.
Regragui also discussed the situations of Nayef Aguerd and Azzedine Ounahi, who have struggled for game time at West Ham and Olympique Marseille. “The situation with Aguerd and Ounahi is complicated. I’m in regular contact with them and hope they resolve their issues within 48 hours,” Regragui said. He noted that while several clubs are interested in them, both players are seeking highly competitive teams despite lucrative offers.
Morocco has already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Upcoming official games against Gabon and Lesotho will serve as opportunities to evaluate players. These matches will be treated as friendlies, with September 6 and 9 scheduled at the Grand Stade d’Agadir. Regragui aims to finalize a strong squad for the AFCON.
Regragui also explained the absence of left-back Yahya Attiat-Allah and captain Roman Saiss from the preparatory camp. “The situation with Roman Saiss at Al Sadd is unclear. He is experienced and has participated in many tournaments, but he needs to focus on his club situation now,” Regragui said.
He added, “Saiss needs to improve his situation with Al Sadd. We will monitor him and he will return to the national team if he plays regularly and is fully fit.”
Regarding Attiat-Allah, Regragui said, “Yahya Attiat-Allah is a balanced player who performed well with the national team and adapted to the squad. However, after a difficult period with his former club Sochi, we decided to let him focus on his new team, Al-Ahly of Egypt. This also allows us to evaluate some young players in his position.”
Regragui concluded, “We are focusing on preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations. These matches are a chance to assess player readiness before the World Cup qualifiers. I appreciate the work of the Football Federation scouts and technical staff. Our selection pool is now more competitive, making national team spots harder to secure.”
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