Players’ mental state worries Algeria coach

ALGERIAN soccer coach Rabah Saadane is disturbed by his players’ obsession with their 3-1 victory over Egypt and has told them to shake off that euphoria and concentrate on this weekend’s crucial 2010 World Cup and African Cup qualifier against Zambia.

• Saadane said this when he addressed his players at their South African camping site at Sheraton Pretoria Hotel after noticing that several players had been watching video extracts of the Egypt match on their mobile phones and ipods.
• He told his charges in no uncertain terms to forget that they beat Egypt and focus on what he described as tougher assignment in Zambia.
• Saadane said there was need for his Desert Foxes to shake off their victory euphoria over Egypt and concentrate on the Zambia match.
• According to yesterday’s edition of the Algerian newspaper Le Buteur, Saadane told the players that they should wake up from their victory dreams and ‘come back to earth.’
• “Forget that you beat Egypt! We share the top slot with Zambia and mind you they have also not lost a game. This game will be harder in Zambia and the conditions surrounding the match there will not be the same like in Blida,” he said.
• Saadane urged the players to now turn the page on the Egypt match and concentrate on the Konkola Stadium assignment in Chililabombwe against the Chipolopolo.
• And Zambia soccer coach, Herve Renard, yesterday gave his players time off after five days of intensive training in South Africa where the squad is shaping up for this Saturday’s crunch qualifier against Algeria.
• Renard gave his players a break to enable them unwind after heavy training in Johannesburg which was capped by Saturday’s 9-0 thrashing of South African side, Orlando Pirates.
• Team manager, Solly Pandor, said from the team’s Milpark camping base yesterday that training had been too much for the players and that they deserved to rest.
• Pandor said in the morning yesterday the players were given an option of either joining physical trainer Patrice Beaumulle in light training or to just relax at Milpark Holiday Inn.
• He, however, said the players were expected to regroup last evening to continue fine-tuning for Algeria before returning home on Wednesday.
• Pandor also said defender Emmanuel Mbola, who had picked up a minor injury was almost fit again after receiving treatment.
• FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya was yesterday expected to arrange for tickets for the coaches to enable them watch the FIFA Confederation Cup opening match between hosts, South Africa and Iraq at Ellis Park.
• Kalusha was also expected to facilitate the coaches’ trip to Bloemfontein to watch another Confederation Cup tie between five-time world champions Brazil and African champions Egypt today.