Fez – Morocco’s head football coach has once again refuted rumors about his future with the national team, stating that he is still the coach of the Atlas Lions.
Following the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) disappointment, Halilhodzic faced a fierce media campaign, with both Moroccan football fans and experts calling for his immediate dismissal.
The Franco-Bosnian coach reacted to this campaign on several occasions, strongly arguing that he had succeeded to achieve a large chunk of his set goals with Morocco’s national team, most importantly the World Cup qualification.
In his latest interview with the Croatian news website Net.hr, Halilhodzic lashed out against media that criticized him over the absence of some key players from important football events.
The head coach claimed that some news outlets launched an “unjustifiable” campaign against him.
While reaffirming that he is still the coach of Morocco’s football team, Halilhdozic accused both journalists and media outlets of receiving money from unknown ends in order to launch this fierce online campaign that seeks to tarnish his image and reputation.
“Who says that Morocco gave up on me? What the media writes is not true. Yes, the media writes everything, journalists write everything, and some money must be at stake. It is interesting that they will not write everything about me,” Morocco’s football head coach said.
As Halihodzic is still on a one-month holiday, circulating rumors have been hinting at a potential departure of Halilhodzic from the national team.
His “stubbornness” and steadfast stance in not to recall Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech and Ajax right-back Noussair Mazraoui back to the national team despite the continued calls from the Moroccan football fans, have put him under fire in recent months, with many pondering about his future with Morocco’s Atlas Lions.
Such speculations were further fueled by Fouzi Lekjaa, the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
Lekjaa said earlier this month that while Halilhodzic still has the support of the FRMF leadership, the Franco-Bosnian coach “is not untouchable.”
The FRMF president also noted that he will hold a meeting with Halilhodzic at the end of this month after he returns from vacation to solve the months-long rift between the Bosnian coach and the expelled players before the World Cup kick-off.
Halilihodzic, however, recently reaffirmed his stance on the Ziyech and Mazroui issue, outlining that he cannot summon players who “refuse to train, play, and fake injuries.”
He stressed that this issue is a “dead story” for him.
Read also: Sorry Ziyech, Mazraoui: Halilhodzic Was Never the Coach Morocco Needs
