“I want to know why I was excluded from national team,” says Belhadj

Algeria’s international player Nadir Belhadj said he was « unsatisfied » about his exclusion from the list of the national team due to play against Luxembourg on November 17th. “I want to know the real reasons behind the decision to exclude me,” he told Echorouk in an interview.

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  What can you say about your exclusion from the list of players to play against Luxembourg?
  

  Actually, I do not know why I was excluded. It was a surprise to me. I did not expect that at all. The worst thing is that I knew about that through journalists.

  What do you think the reason behind that?

  I do not know. The answer to this question is with the national coach. Personally, I did not expect that. I played in the African Cup and the World Cup. I replied the invitation with no preconditions.

  Is your exclusion due to the conflict between you and the coach?
  

  No. I have no conflict with the national coach Abdelkah Benchikha. I respect his decisions. I want to know the truth about my exclusion.

  Did Benchikha call you?
  

  No. Neither him nor any other official at the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) called me.

  Maybe your modest performance against the Central African Republic was behind your exclusion.

  All the players showed bad performance in that match. It is true that I was very bad against the Central African Republic and I admitted that. Yet, that does not justify my exclusion.

  The match against Luxembourg is friendly. You may come back to the team before the game against Tunisia next February.

  Even if it is a friendly match, I want to be present with my team mates. I know that it is the decision of the coach and I respect it. Yet, I want to know the reasons of my exclusion.

  What will you do now?

  I will focus all my efforts with my club and work hard to come back to the national team. I trust in my capacities and I still at the disposal of the national team as I have always been. I am honoured to defend the colours of my country on every opportunity.