Former international keeper to Echourok: The Algerian Football Federation has deliberately moved aside the 1982 golden generation
Mehdi Cerbah
The former international goalkeeper and one of the 1982 golden generation players Mehdi Cerbah has declared yesterday in an interview to Echourok that he doesn’t explain the main reason behind their marginalization by the Algerian football authorities, despite their devotion for the service of the Algerian football and great experiences acquired all along their career; noting that the FAF has completely excluded this generation.
- He has expressed in a telephone conversation with Echourok his astonishment for the absence, unlike the past, of local goalkeepers in the Algerian squad, forcing thus the technical staff to turn to foreign championships.
- Echourok: To start with, can we have some news about you?
- Cerbah: For the time being, I’m in charge of the goalkeepers of the Qatari club “Essad” where I feel comfortable since I’m working in excellent conditions since the managers of the club have afforded all the means to help me succeed in my task, the means available here are similar to those in the biggest European clubs.
- Echourok: How do you explain that you have received offers abroad contrary to Algeria?
- Cerbah: I’m a professional coach and ready to work everywhere if the offers are worthwhile; I have decided to make in experience in Qatar because the offer was at the level of my expectations. Concerning work in Algeria, all depends on the offers; I have never declined working in the different national squads each time the FAF has called on me and I have already in the club Blida before moving to Qatar. I’m not running after job opportunities because my professional background is self explanatory.
- Echourok: Was there any contact from the FAF to coach one of the Algerian squads?
- Cerbah: No , not at all… my relationship with the FAF has finished since a while and there is not any contact anymore.
- Echourok: How do you explain this situation and the marginalization of the generation of the 1980s?
- Cerbah: I’m not the only concerned about this problem. All the players of my generation are suffering this marginalization and ingratitude… This golden generation has been put on the shelves for real and don’t ask me about the reason you have to turn to the FAF managers why Cerbah is not among the technical staffs of the different national squads.
- Echourok: What do you think about the actual goalkeepers?
- Cerbah: I cannot evaluate any of them for the moment, but you have to ask the goalkeepers’ coach Ali Belhadji and the secret behind his interest on goalkeepers playing abroad and his neglect to local ones. In my time there were nearly 10 keepers competing to snatch a place in the national squad.