Algeria not likely in World Cup finals, says Mekhloufi

Algerian football squad may not qualify to 2010 World Cup, according to Algerian football legend Rachid Makhloufi.

• Rachid Mekhloufi, one of the founding fathers of the Algerian football squad and champion of France in 1957 with AS Saint- Étienne showed pessimism over the qualification of the “Greens” to the World Cup finals.
• Earlier in October, Algeria was drawn against Egypt, Rwanda and Zambia in Group C in the final qualifying round for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
• “We have to look at the draw like the pervious qualifications in which it was very difficult for the national squad to qualify,” he told Echorouk in an interview.
•  “Personally speaking, I am pretty sure that the national squad may not qualify to World Cup finals. We must focus on how we can beat Rwanda and Zambia because the players will play against them before Egypt,” Mekhloufi said.
• He believes the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) is not for blame alone and President Abdelaziz Bouteflika should intervene to figure out how to improve the Algerian players’ performance.