Algerian clubs count more and more on players living abroad

Over the last two years, the number of French players born to Algerian origins who signed to Algerian clubs increased in comparison with the past.

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• It seems that the new rule issued by the Algerian Football Association (FAF) that limits the number of foreign players in the Algerian league pushed the clubs’ mangers to reconsider their policy and recruit Algerian players established abroad as an alternative.
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• Even if the number was relatively low in the past, estimates are due to increase in the coming few years. For instance, the Algerian League registered 15 immigrant players last years while others attempted to clinch a contract but failed for technical reasons.
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•  On the other hand a handful among them succeeded in their experience and passed their “exams” with flying colors including Ben Hammou and Ait Athmane ( Mouloudia ) Lemouchia (ES Setif)  and Zerdab (ES Bejaia).
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• The Algerian squad remains the main motivation.
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•   The return of the Algerian squad on the forefront of the international football scene and their likely qualification to the next World Cup competition will motivate the Algerian nationals’ players living abroad to sign for local clubs with the ambition to be picked by the Algerian squad head coach and follow in the footsteps of their fellow citizens Ziani , Bouguerra, and  Ghezzal who reached stardom hit the media headlines in both Algeria and France.
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• Sadek Amrous ( Mouloudia Club of Algiers president) : “Ben Charif and Khenniche flops mustn’t be a blueprint to judge upon”
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• The dean of the Algerian clubs (Mouloudia) has always been the “Mecca” of immigrant players since two or three players sign contracts with the club each season, but the problem is that these players fail to fulfil their contracts. The experience of Bencharif and Khenniche confirms the rule as they were paid for sitting in the bench all along the season, but the president Amrous has declared that this was an exception and mustn’t be considered as a rule.
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• Mahfoud Kerbadj ( CR belouizdad president) : “ A good immigrant player doesn’t sign for an Algerian club”
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• For his part Belouizdad’s president Mahfoud Kerbadj is against the idea of bringing players from abroad arguing that it was more beneficial for the Algerian football to count on the local young players who, according to him, represent a real reservoir for the Algerian national squad.
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