Halilhodzic Appointed As Desert Foxes’ New Manager

Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic has been confirmed on Wednesday as new manager of the Algeria national team, to replace Abdelhak Benchikha who resigned after the disappointing 4-0 loss to Morocco.

A statement posted on the official website of the Algerian Football Federation reads that the Bosnian manager has sealed a three year deal to qualify the Desert Foxes to Africa Nations’ Cup 2013 and the World Cup 2014 in Brazil. Mr Vahid Halilhodzic will start his job as by next July, the source added.

 The appointment of Mr Halilhodzic has come after the resign of former coach Abdelhak Benchikha on the eve of the 4-0 loss to Morocco, on 5 June in Marrakech, in the qualifiers to the Africa Nations’ Cup 2012.

The 59 years old won the league and Cup double in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb this season. He has also coached Lille, lifting the club to the League I, and then to the Champions League. He won the French Cup with Paris Saint-Germain, and African Champions League with Raja Casablanca. He had coached Trabzonspor, too.

A strong disciplinarian, Halilhodzic also led Ivory Coast but was fired just months before the 2010 World Cup.

Algeria are struggling to reach the 2012 Nations Cup in January and are currently bottom of Group D, three points behind leaders Morocco, with two qualifying games remaining.