HIBAPRESS-RABAT-M.KO
Qualifying for a World Cup phase is always a satisfaction for any team, except that in the case of the national seven in the CAN U19 in Tunis and in view of the opponents that Morocco had met, especially in the semi-final against Tunisia and Algeria in the classification match, Rzigue’s partners should have either played the final or at least taken 3rd place, which would have been an excellent result, a pledge of hope and a real trigger for a new era of national handball.
Unfortunately this was not the case and the disappointment is greater than this qualification for a world championship, because we are aware that it will just be a participation without any other ambition than to finish in a not very humiliating rank.
Without trying to pinpoint a person responsible for these two defeats (against Tunisia and Algeria), nevertheless the technical staff is concerned by this result. The coach, Karim and his assistant Fayçal had both been great players, but as managers, they lack experience at this level of the competition and were unable to manage the two matches in question.
Would other technicians have achieved better results? It is difficult to answer this question, but what is certain is that with a more thorough and more thoughtful preparation we would have been in the final of this competition which was within our reach given the level presented by the favorites, namely Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria.
In short, the CAN U19 is now a thing of the past, now Poland is in a few months, what will be the objective of the leaders of Moroccan handball? To represent the country with dignity? What does it mean to represent the country with dignity? Not to lose with big scores? Not to end up at the bottom of the rankings? Or simply to present a team capable of competing with the best, a team capable of avoiding humiliation in national handball, but above all a team whose players will be the basis of a succession, who will fight for a more satisfactory image of Moroccan handball.
These players must be sought elsewhere, in Europe and especially among our compatriots of the Moroccan diaspora. They are legion who want to join the Seven National and are proud to represent the National Flag. In addition, they will bring more to the small ball, through their training in their clubs and their experience in championships more challenging than ours.
This is therefore an opportunity to be seized by the federation and its steering committee and a new page to open for national handball.
