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Morocco’s Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic is still facing recurrent criticism over his management of the Moroccan national team.
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar playoffs taking place later this month, Halilhodzic is yet to reveal the Moroccan squad list for the much-anticipated upcoming games.
Coming back from a disappointing conclusion at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON 2021), Halilhodzic was subject to a severe backlash over the “bad management of the team.”
Morocco’s national team suffered in AFCON 2021 due to the poor performance of the duo Youssef En-Nesyri and Ayoub El Kaabi.
Moroccan football fans have since called on the Royal Football Federation to dismiss Halilhodzic.
Several are those who decry Halilhodzic’s management of the national team.
Atlas Lions Missing Key Players
Football fans denounced why several players have been cut from the national team selection. Hakim Ziyech, Noussair Mazraoui, and Abderrazak Hamdallah are on Halilhodzic’s black list, so far.
In a press conference following AFCON disappointment, Halilhodzic said, in reference to Ziyech, that he does not intend to “summon someone who can blow up the team, even if it was Lionel Messi.”
Few days later, the Chelsea star decided to retire from international football, a move that disappointed Moroccan football fans, who urged the Moroccan Football Federation to act.
Read also: Sorry Ziyech, Mazraoui: Halilhodzic Was Never the Coach Morocco Needs
Ziyech is having a great season with British club Chelsea, with ten appearances, scoring four goals and contributing to two others.
As for Mazraoui, the Ajax right-back has expressed his readiness to join the Atlas Lions for the up-coming playoffs against DR Congo. Although the Moroccan 24-year-old has provided a string of impressive performances in Amsterdam, Halilhudzic did not call him up for the AFCON 2021.
Moroccan Al Ittihad FC striker Abderrazak Hamdallah continues his good performances in the Saudi league. The Moroccan has been an important part of Ittihad FC’s forward line, scoring three goals in the 4-3 victory over Al Ahly in the Jeddah derby.
This put Halilhodzic, who refused to choose Hamdallah, under strain, especially since the national team’s attack lacks key components that can make a difference.
Overall, Moroccan football fans are hopeful that the upcoming playoffs against DR Congo will lead the Atlas Lions to the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup, but fear the impact of the missing players from the national team.
