Morocco sacks coach Henri Michel

08/02/2008

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation dismissed national team coach Henri Michel, blaming him for Morocco's early elimination from the African Cup of Nations. The federation is also feeling the heat from fans who say that to revive the national team, the FRMF must include men who understand football well.

By Naoufel Cherkaoui for Magharebia in Rabat – 08/02/08

[Getty Images] Moroccan national team coach Henri Michel was fired on Thursday. The Royal Moroccan Football Federation cited lack of results and the coach's behaviour at a recent press conference.

Following the failure of Morocco’s national football team to get past the group phase of the African Cup of Nations last month, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) fired coach Henri Michel on Thursday (February 8th).

"Due to a lack of results and because of his behaviour at a press conference held on January 31st when the national team returned from Ghana, Henri Michel's contract has been terminated," a federation statement said.

Michel was roundly criticised by fans, officials and the sporting press after the Atlas Lions lost 3-2 to Guinea and 2-0 to Ghana. FRMF Vice-President Mohamed Aouzal blamed Michel for the results and cited his "technical mistakes" at a parliamentary hearing on the sporting debacle. During the press conference in Rabat, however, the French manager blamed the players for their early exit from the tournament. The national team has "excellent players but not high-level players that can change the game at any time instead of collapsing at every moment the team is lagging in scoring," Michel said.

The enmity toward Michel began before Morocco’s squad left Ghana. Moroccan national team striker Bouchaib Lembarki decided not to play for the national team as long as Henri Michel remained as coach. According to

Lembarki, Michel "didn't have the enthusiasm for our country". He said other players shared his feelings. Indeed, on the eve of his team's loss to Guinea, defender Talal El Karkouri also decided not to play for the national squad. Lembarki also claimed that Michel favoured players raised in France over those raised in Morocco. Michel wouldn't even greet the Moroccan footballers, he said, adding that after the loss to Ghana, they – not the French – were the only ones rebuked.

Striker Youssouf Hadji agreed that the discrimination between players brought up in Morocco and those raised overseas was clearer than usual. "I play for the national team for the sake of Morocco and not for Henri Michel or anyone else," he said.

Meanwhile, FRMF member Mohamed Mufid ascribed the failure of the Moroccan national team to the players' conceit and their belief that wins against Namibia and Guinea were guaranteed.

Some of the fans who attended matches in the Moroccan Football Premier League last weekend called for the departure of FRMF President, General Housni Benslimane, chanting slogans such as, "Go your way, Benslimane; the Federation is not yours".

Several internet petitions called for sacking both Benslimane and Michel. Someone said, "Regardless of our analysis and explanations, only Benslimane and his men are responsible; the FRMF must include men who understand football well."

A member of Morocco’s parliament agrees with the need to change the FRMF. "The military nature of federations must be curbed as soon as possible, especially as our country has received recommendations from the international soccer governing body, FIFA, on the need to assign the position to civilians," MP Latifa Ajbabdi said.

Fathi Jamal, a national technical director and coach of the Moroccan Olympic squad, will replace Michel as provisional coach for a month. A new coach should then be appointed in time to lead the Atlas Lions in the friendly with Belgium on March 26th.