Coach’s strife with players distracts from Morocco’s World Cup mission

RIYADH: In April 2018, just two months before the start of the World Cup, Japan fired Vahid Halilhodžić, the head coach who had taken them through a successful qualification campaign. There now seems to be the imminent possibility that history will repeat itself in Morocco.

At the time, Kozo Tashima, the president of the Japan FA, said this about Halilhodžić: “We took the decision because we thought he’d become unable to forge a relationship of trust or communicate with his players.”

The Bosnia boss has not yet secured a place at the World Cup but he certainly struggled to build relationships with some players, and his ongoing fallout with Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech and Ajax standout Noussair Mazraoui could be costly for all concerned.

Neither will be present on March 25 or 29 when Morocco face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final World Cup playoff. Few teams, outside the very best in the world, would choose to be without such talent but that is what is happening.

“I won’t speak about them ever again,” said Halilhodžić on Thursday as he named the squad. The former Paris Saint-Germain boss, who led Algeria to the knockout stages of the 2014 World Cup, may not be successful, however, in his desire to change the subject.

The best thing that can be said about the situation is that it has removed some pressure from the rest of the Atlas Lions in the buildup. Fans are already angry about the saga involving the Chelsea forward and the Ajax right-back, though if rumors are to be believed Mazraoui is to join Barcelona this summer.

Halilhodžić fell out with the players last year but said this week that he wanted to select them this time. “I speak often with (Fouzi) Lekjaa (the Morocco FA president). Ziyech and