Hafid Derradji reveals to Echoroukhis innermost feelings during Algeria-Burkina Fasobreath-taking qualifier
Famous Algerian sports commentator, now working for “Al Jazeera Sport”,Hafid Derradji,has revealed in this frank interview with Echorouk, how he lived the nerve-racking moments of the Algeria-Burkina Faso second leg qualifying fixture for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, especially the final minutes, and pointed also to a game that he yearns to comment during the upcoming World Cup football tournament.
Echorouk:How did you live the second-leg play-off match between Algeria and Burkina Faso played in Blida stadium, and especially the last minutes of that crucial game?
The last minutes of the game was the longest since the start of my media sportingcareer, not only for fear of loss or love to win, but because of the moral responsibility I assume especially when I ensure the running commentary for a decisive match involving my national team.
I tried to find the right words in case of loss or exclusion in order to relieve the viewing people because of the great importance they attach to the motherland Algeria, and what would have been the nefarious impact on the fans in case of a loss and elimination? I strived to boost the people’s morale throughout this breath-taking qualifier.
I’m not envied for this kind of situation because I understand the value of the professional responsibility placed upon me, mostly because I hadto comment on a fateful and crucial qualifying match for the much-coveted World Cup and what a super World Cup,which is to be hosted by football-keen country namely Brazil!
Echorouk: Have you ever wished after the end of the first half of the Blida qualifier without the Greens of Algeria scoring any goal that you wouldn’t comment on the game?
No, no, never. I was always with the team and with Algeria in all circumstances and through thick and thinwithout any personal accounts. My sole objective when I comment on a match of the national football line-up is just to cheer up the Algerian viewers andto wax optimistic in all times.
Echorouk:Did you expect thatplay-off match to end with Algeria’s 1-nil win and what outcome were you expecting personally?
Yes, I was expecting Algeria’s victory indeed. Let me remind you that in a Monday night (November 18th) interview with Echorouk TV channel, I said that this qualifier would most probably be a “one-nil match” because it was closed off from the Burkinabe side and was weighing on the Algerian side because of the enormous pressure exerted on the players. But in the end, we won by one goal to nil and that’s the main thing because in such crucial games,it doesn’t matter how many goals you score but winning is the most important objective for the team.
Echorouk:Don’t you think that your running commentary for the recent Algeria-Burkina Faso play-off qualifier was more grueling than the commentary you made for the 2009 decisive qualifying match in Omdurman between Algeria and Egypt?
Yes it was harder because in Omdurman (Sudan) we scored in the first half but in Blida, our sole goal wasn’t enough because if we sustained an equaliser from the Burkinabe team we would have been eliminated the opposite scenariowhich happened during the confrontation versus Egypt and it should be said that we played one of the worst first-halfs in Blida since the arrival of national team coach single Vahid Halilhodzic. Fortunately, the second half of the match was different and the players of the national squad were duly present across the pitch individually, collectively, technically and physically.
However,the hardest thing is when you think of the dreaded effect of a possible setback on the masses but thank God Almighty victory synonymous with a World cup qualification finally smiled to the Algeria line-up after tremendous of efforts to the delight of all the Algerians.
Echorouk:What is the game you yearn to comment with the Algerian national team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and against which foreign team?
I still dream of commenting on the match Algeria-France during the 2014 World Cup finals and hopefully witness, why not, an Algerian victory and then I would have a lot to say about that.
Echorouk:A final word to the fans of Hafid Derradji?
I’d like say to the Algerian and Arab peoples, thanks a lot for to the unwavering support you’d provided to the Algeria football squad before, during and after the Blida play-off match which finally culminated in a highly-meritorious qualification of the “Greens” for the prestigious World Cup contest to be held starting from mid-June until early July 2014 in Brazil.