Outgoing FAF president: Belmadi yet to decide on future

by Graeme Jackson

Wednesday Apr 13, 2022. 14:00

Outgoing Algerian Football Federation (FAF) president Charaf-Eddine Amara has revealed that Desert Foxes coach Djamel Belmadi has yet to decide on his future.

Belmadi was left distraught by Algeria’s failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, as they dramatically succumbed to Cameroon just over two weeks ago.

Initial speculation was that the 46-year-old coach had left his post, but this was not confirmed, and his position as head of the Desert Foxes (with a contract which runs to the end of the year) remains uncertain.

Belmadi is still a relatively popular figure amongst Algerian fans despite the failure to qualify for Qatar 2022, as well as an embarrassing group stage exit from the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Amara, who resigned his post at the top of the FAF, is quoted by Afrik Foot as saying that Belmadi is still processing the disappointment of their defeat to the Indomitable Lions.

“I am still in contact with the national coach,” said Amara. “We haven’t really touched on this subject [his future], because I know that he is in a period of reflection and that he wants to take his time to recover from this disillusionment.

“Certainly, there are positives, but that does not mean that his decision is made. He has not yet decided.”

Belmadi has been in charge of the Algerian national team since 2018 and famously led them to AFCON glory on Egyptian soil in 2019.