Idris Dahni
Walid Regragui, the coach of the Moroccan national team, is facing increasing criticism due to his unconvincing positions in his answers to questions related to players in the local championship. The most striking observation remains linked to his repetition of the phrase “Even no one is”. is going to put pressure on me with tournament play, and I’m a coach who comes from the tournament”, which suggests that the coach is constantly relying on the same answer, without explaining in detail why he did not give the tournament players a chance.
Among the controversial decisions made by Regragui was the call-up of Wydad Athletic defender Harkas, despite the unsuccessful performance he presented last season, especially in the defensive formation that included Zola, Abu Al-Fath and Farhan , so many Wydad supporters expressed their dissatisfaction. With the performance, Harkas made the team, raising questions about why he was called up to the national team.
When Ragragui was confronted with questions related to the exceptional performances of the Royal Army players, his response was surprising: “You cannot blame a player who plays from Sunday to Sunday and who does not qualify for the group stage of the League”. This statement caused astonishment, especially since Harkas himself is currently playing from Sunday to Sunday, while Royal Army players like Zahzouh, Harimat and Nakash are participating in the African Champions League and performing at high levels. levels, which confirms that the criteria on which Regragui relies in the selection of players is contradictory and not based on clear logic.
The biggest question remains whether the current version of the Harkas has done enough to convince Regragui so far. On the other hand, there are players like Abdel Nakash, who shines with the Royal Army team and participated in the Olympic competitions, and he is. Younger and more influential Raja players like Belamri are considered by many observers to be some of the best players in the tournament currently, not forgetting the RS Berkane stars who are shining at continental and national level.
The question that arises here remains: has representation in the national team become conditional on playing for certain clubs and not others? How can we raise the level of the tournament and motivate local players to shine if the national voter constantly ignores them and uses selective criteria in their choices?
