Algeria’s Bouguerra and Meghni : “Will power to resist injuries”

Algeria’s defender Madjid Bouguerra and midfielder Mourad Meghni will continue their medical treatment sessions in Doha (Qatar). They talked to Echorouk about the evolution of their medical treatment and the football world.

• “It is wonderful that Saadane has been selected as the best Arab coach”, says Meghni
• Echorouk : Why did not you continue your treatment in France?
• Meghni : I was in contact with other doctors and we decided to come to Doha to complete a part of the treatment.
• Echorouk : Will you stay with Lazio or will you move to another European club?
• Meghni : I have a two-season-contract with Lazio. I do not know if I will leave or no. I am not thinking about that.
• Echorouk : Many say your are the golden generation in Algeria. What do you think?
• Meghni : I do not know. I think the 1982’s generation is the best. Our generation is in its first steps. Football is different now compared to the past. It is difficult to compare between the two teams because we have all the means to do a good performance.
• Echorouk : You have been victim of injuries since you were 19. Is it a bad luck?
• Meghni : It is true that I have been injured for many times. This time, things were not going well especially that I have been injured since the last African Cup. I hope it will be ok and I will be able to play in the World Cup.
• Echorouk : How are you preparing for the World Cup amid those injuries?
• Meghni : The preparations are going well. We will have a preparatory camp ahead of the world Cup. We will play two friendly matches before going to South Africa. I think injury is the only obstacle against the player. As it happened in this period, it is not worrying. There is enough time for treatment.
• Echorouk : How do you assess your participation in the last African Cup?
• Meghni : We did a good job. It is not easy to be ranked fourth among Africa’s football giants. We are now more self-confident and we realised that our qualification to the World Cup was not by chance. We deserved that thanks to everyone’s efforts. We proved that in the African matches. Don’t forget that all the players did not benefit from a considerable break. Each time they finish a competition, they enter a new one.
• Echorouk : How do you feel about the Algerian team’s chances in the World Cup? Will they be able to qualify to the second round?
• Meghni : England is likely to be on the top of the group. The other teams including Algeria have 270 minutes to show their competence and qualify to the second round.
• Madjid Bouguerra to Echorouk: “I will do my utmost to be quite ready for the World Cup”
• The seasoned Algerian international and defender of Glasgow Rangers, Madjid Bouguerra, granted an exclusive interview to the newspaper “Echorouk Al Yaoumi” in which he dwelt on his future prospects with the Algeria football squad ahead of the 2010 World cup tournament in South Africa as well as on his present situation with his Scottish club of Glasgow Rangers.
• Echorouk : How do you see Algeria’s participation in the upcoming World cup football contest after a long absence of 24 years?
• Bouguerra : Well, I should tell you that the Algerian national squad are now bracing up seriously for the South African World cup. We have on schedule 2 international friendly matches, the first one versus Ireland in Dublin on May 28th  and the second one against the squad of the United Arab Emirates in early June. This will be part of our team’s planned preparation for the World cup tournament.
• We will be in South Africa well ahead of the start of the competition that is on June 6th in order to be quite ready for the D. Day.
• Echorouk : Are you not afraid of injuries within the national football  team before the kick off of competition?
• Bouguerra : No, not at all. I am confident that all the injured players of the national squad will get fit again and will be hale and hearty at the earliest possible time ahead of the World football tournament in South Africa.
• I am quite sure that all the injuries now besetting some of our players will be cured and healed shortly.
• Echorouk : Aren’t you afraid that those players of the national squad like for instance Ziani and Antar Yahia could miss the upcoming World cup because they don’t play presently with their respective clubs?
• Bouguerra : No, I don’t think so. These 2 players have still the months of April and May to play several remaining Bundesliga matches with their clubs.
• Mind you, Ziani and Antar Yahia have the required talent and stamina to bounce back forcefully in the next few weeks well ahead of the World cup.
• Echorouk : Do you think that the Arab  football player has the ability to qualify regularly for the World cup competition?
• Bouguerra : As a matter of fact, the Arab player has enormous footballing capacities but he has to embark upon a serious professional career in Europe to acquire the necessary tactical prowess which will allow him to upgrade his bevel and to become an asset for his national squad in both regional and international contests.
• Echorouk : What about your present situation with your Scottish club of Glasgow Rangers?
• Bouguerra : Well, my present contract with Glasgow Rangers runs until 2012. But who knows, I could leave the club or stay until the end of my contract.
• Echorouk : But, you have recently expressed your desire to play in the English premier league?
• Bouguerra : Yes, it’s true. My prime objective is to be able to play in the English premier league but actually I am at ease currently with the Rangers.
• Echorouk : Now, how did you appreciate your stay in the Qatari capital Doha?
• Bouguerra : Well, I should point out that my stay in Doha and my medical treatment there were excellent, thanks to the hearty hospitality and conviviality of the Qataris who treated us as brothers, and I am grateful to them for that. Furthermore, Doha is, I should say, a nice and modern city.
• Echorouk : According to you, who is the best football player in the world presently?
• Bouguerra :  For me, it’s Lionel Messi.