Algerian sports minister: We have folded the Egyptian page but didn’t tear it

Everybody is unanimous the role of the Algerian youth and sports’ minister Al Hachemi Djiar was crucial all along the Algeria squad “crusade” either in Egypt or Sudan. In a lengthy interview to Echourok, the minister returns to the events that occurred these last few days and expressed his view about the base media campaign launched by the Egyptians against Algeria and other issues.

•  
• Q: You were among the last arrival group coming from Khartoum, what can you tell us about your long stay with the Algerian delegation either in Cairo or Khartoum?
•  
• A: First of all, I would like to hail out players and fans’ great sense of patriotism since they were real ambassadors to their country and gave a respectable image of their nation despite all their misadventures and the ignoble treatment reserved to them in Egypt. I was closely supervising their behaviour in Khartoum and let me tell you that they were genuine gentlemen especially with our Sudanese brothers, despite the lack of commodities in this country. But we knew from the beginning that this country’s capacities were limited and our fans adapted to these conditions easily, that’s why I’m grateful to them.
•  
• Q: We saw you in the flight that carried the Algerian players to Sudan roaming from one to another and exchanging conversations with them, on what did you focus?
•  
• A: You know the events that the Algeria squad went through in Egypt and nobody can measure their effect, but the Algerian players stood tall and kept intact their chances of qualification by forcing the Egyptian to go to a play off match. Things were not easy and obviously we had to stand by them. Thanks God we have succeeded somehow since we snatched our ticket to the World Cup and everybody participated in this achievement including the players, fans technical staff and politicians.
•  
• Q: frankly, speaking did you expect such devotion from players who, most of them were born in Europe?
•  
• A: I personally didn’t doubt a second because simply they are Algerians after all. When an Algerian whatsoever decides to establish in another country it doesn’t mean that his love for his country will vanish, on the contrary his nationalism will grow even bigger, that’s what I have notices during my stay with players.
•  
• Q: What do you expect from the Algerian participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations Tournament knowing that the greens were absent during the two last competitions?
•  
• A: I think that we have to spare this group a supplementary pressure and let the coach continue his work at ease the way we did so far. I think that we are about to prepare a great team for the future especially that most of the players are still young and can defend the Algerian colors for many years to come; this pushes me to say that we have to make of the upcoming African and World Cup of Nations competitions a preparatory stage for the future. But I don’t want be misunderstood and think that we are not looking forward to securing honourable participations.
•  
• Q: Many Algerians would like to travel to Angola in order to stand by their team, is there any chance that Khartoum’s experience would be repeated in Luanda?
•  
• A: Frankly speaking… it’s not easy to do it again because the flights to Khartoum were organized under special circumstances, still we have to discuss the matter very soon and I’m quite certain that many will travel to Luanda on their own. The Algerian authorities will do their utmost to broadcast the Greens’ matches during this competition and you can get in touch with the relevant ministry in order to have the details.
•