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Coach Vahid Halilhodzic stated, “My first goal was to get the team qualified. If I don’t manage that, I could leave.”
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Morocco will face the Democratic Republic of Congo next month in a World Cup qualifier
RABAT: Following Morocco’s exit from the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Vahid Halilhodzic, Bosnian coach, said that he would resign if his World Cup qualification bid fails.
During a Rabat press conference, he stated that his first goal was to get the team qualified. If I fail to do that, I could leave.
“Let’s keep going and try my best to reach the World Cup. That’s my goal.
Morocco will face the Democratic Republic of Congo next month in a World Cup qualifier.
Halilhodzic (a 69-year-old ex-player for Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain) arrived at the third Africa Cup of Nations in hopes that Morocco would end their 46-year-old wait for a second title.
The Lions of the Atlas lost to Egypt in an unruly Sunday quarter-final. This was followed by a brawl in the locker room.
Halilhodzic attributed the defeat to “inexperience”, but condemned the fight.
Halilhodzic stated that “the Egyptians were smarter and more vicious, but brawling was undignified.” “I saw a lot of people shouting, there was insults.”
Later, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), suspended players from both sides for “violent behaviour,” including Moroccans Soufianchakla and Soufiane Boufal.
They are therefore out of the next month’s World Cup qualifier.
Halilhodzic stated that the team had appealed.
He said that he had received death threats after the defeat of his team. However, he also added, “I’ve been subject to such threats as a trainer but I’ve also had lots of encouragement which has helped.”
He also said that he was proud of his decision to remove Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech from the team, claiming that he “lacks respect.”
He said, “I cannot bring on a player that could blow up our team, even though he’s called Lionel Messi.”
