Algeria coach Rabah Madjer: We will be stronger for the Gambia

Algerian head coach, Rabah Madjer

Monday Apr 23, 2018. 12:00

Algeria coach Rabah Madjer says the national team has made progress under his guidance and will be even stronger when they face the Gambia for their next Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Fennec Foxes will resume their qualification campaign for AFCON 2019 in September when they travel to face the Gambia in their second Group D match, having opened their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Togo in June last year.

Madjer was not in charge for that clash, having only succeeded Lucas Alcarez in October 2017. He has come under fire from Algerian media, but insists the team has improved in his tenure.

"It is true that we will miss the World Cup because of the results that everyone knows,” he said in an interview with Spanish newspaper Super Deporte this past weekend.

“I will not say that I had found a national team destroyed, but more a group that had lost its personality and self-confidence.

“Our work has not been easy, but we have tried every day to work to change this situation and gradually put the players back in confidence.

“In five games including four friendlies and another counting for the final day of playoffs for the World Cup, we recorded only victories, except against Iran. A team that may surprise a lot of people in Russia next summer.”

He added, "Our next Official match will take place in September. We will be stronger and confident for this game [against the Gambia].

“In the meantime, we will be playing two friendly matches in the near future. The first against an African selection and the second against Portugal in Lisbon in June.”