Zetchi Backs Down On Decision Regarding Call Up Of Expatriate Football Players

The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has retreated from its recent decision setting new criteria for bringing expatriate football players to national teams of different categories in general, and to the “Greens” in particular.

 This came out on the sidelines of the last meeting of the Federal Bureau of the Algerian Football Federation held in Algiers.

FAF said that the only criterion set henceforth for bringing overseas players to the national teams is: good technical quality (a respectable level of professionalism and adaptability to the national football line-up’s philosophy) and discipline.

FAF President Kheiredine Zetchi earlier adopted two new divisive criteria: the expatriate player should accept the call-up to represent national colors unconditionally and be of superior technical quality than his local counterpart.

Such a decision sparked off an uproar, especially among the former players of the “Greens,” like Antar Yahia or the current ones like Sofiane Feghouli. 

The latter argued that the FAF Federation is pursuing a policy of “exclusion” towards the expatriate Algerians, and thus denies the great contribution brought by the emigrant players to the “Greens” of Algeria. 

Other parties interpreted this decision as tantamount to FAF officials being bent on “trading” with local players (notably bringing them to the Greens of Algeria so as to raise their shares in the players’ transfer market.

However, the FAF Federation stressed that it counts on all Algerian football talents, whether born in the homeland or abroad, noting that it had received numerous applications to represent national colors (all categories combined), sent by numerous parents of expatriate youngsters who reside in France, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and other foreign countries. 

“This shows the deep attachment of children of the Diaspora to their homeland Algeria”, underscored Mr. Zetchi.