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Rabat – Welshman Osian Roberts is stepping down from his position as Morocco’s director of football on July 22, but is optimistic about Morocco’s football future. On the day of his resignation, Roberts told BBC Sport Africa that “I believe it could be a football nation among the top 20 in the world.”
Roberts has been part of Morocco’s national football team, the Atlas Lions, for the past two years. With three years left to his contract, Roberts announced his resignation today citing familial obligation reasons, while still leaving Morocco’s national team with confidence for its future.
“My two years in Morocco has been an incredible experience in a beautiful country with lovely people and I have great friends here,” Roberts told the BBC, adding “”I leave with many happy memories.”
Despite his early departure, Roberts expressed satisfaction with the “foundation” he had established in Morocco, emphasizing his efforts to improve and standardize coaching courses.
Roberts highlighted how “Morocco was the first African nation to be accepted into CAF Coaching Convention,” and underlined his efforts to improve courses for youth coaches and technical directors within Morocco’s top flight Botola Pro league.
During his time in Morocco, Roberts has managed to welcome several football legends to the country to provide coaching courses, including French icons Patrick Vieira, Marcel Desailly, Thierry Henry, and Spanish Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta.
“I have put a foundation in place… but there is a lot of work still to do,” Roberts stated as he vacated his position optimistic about the Atlas Lions’ future prospects.
During Roberts’ tenure, Morocco won the African Nations Championship for the second time in a row, becoming the first African nation to do so. Roberts had hoped for more silverware, but the COVID-19 crisis led to the cancellation of the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which Morocco had been planning to host.
