Yazid Mansouri to Echorouk: “We have a proven track record of high potentialities”

The captain and seasoned midfielder of the national Algerian football squad, Yazid Mansouri, granted an exclusive interview to the newspaper Echorouk in which he reassured the Greens' fans about his good physical shape, saying that he is quite ready to take part forcefully in the upcoming World cup tournament to be hosted by South Africa starting from June 11th.  

• Echorouk : Are you not afraid of losing your position as the midfield of the Algeria squad is now witnessing an enormous competitiveness?
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• Yazid Mansouri : Not at all, I regard competitiveness as an asset for the development of talents.
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• I should say that I have wrenched my place within the national squad by dint of perseverance and sacrifices over many years.
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• Echorouk : A lot of people speak of the untoward curse of injuries which beset the Greens …
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• Yazid Mansouri : Yes, it is a real headache but thank God, the majority of the injured players are now hale and hearty and I am confident that the upcoming preparatory training camp in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana will be most beneficial and rewarding for all the group.
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• Echorouk : But some of the capped players are lacking competition, it is a real problem … Don’t you think so?
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• Yazid Mansouri : This problem is not as acute as some people surmise because these players will surely recover their full physical prowess after attending the 2 scheduled training camps in Switzerland and Germany and mostly after playing during our 2 friendly international matches versus Ireland on May 28th and versus the United Arab Emirates in early June.
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• Echorouk : Do you know personally some of the new players called up recently by national coach Rabah Saâdane to join the Algeria line-up?
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• Yazid Mansouri : I don’t know, for instance the capped goalkeeper Mbolhi but I know instead Boudebbouz and Carl Medjani who are real good players indeed. By being capped by the national coach, I guess that they can give a lot to the national squad during the upcoming World cup contest.
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• Echorouk : Being a captain and an influential player in the national squad, have you ever been consulted in the drawing up of the list of the selected players?
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• Yazid Mansouri : Are you joking? You are talking of the national squad and not of a district club. I know the limits of my job and as a matter of principle, I don’t interfere at all in the technical and tactical choices of the national team coach.
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• Echorouk :  How do you see your future prospects?
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• Yazid Mansouri : My contract with the French club of Lorient expires in about 3 months. I have so far refused to extend it as requested by the managers of the club. I will decide on my future destination after the forthcoming World cup competition.
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• My sole objective now is to gear up forcefully for this prestigious world football jamboree.
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