Raja: In Search of the Green Diamond

Said has been a loyal Raja supporter for almost 30 years. He breathes, eats and lives for and through his favorite club. For several weeks, he has walked past his friends, his head lowered and his expression sullen. His favorite topic of conversation remains his Raja but his vision has gone from blissful optimism to the darkest pessimism. At the café, his chambering exercises with his friends have almost disappeared and Said spends most of his time, eyes glued to his smartphone, looking for news from his beloved club. And the least we can say is that nothing encourages him to raise his head. Every moment he just sighs, as if Said had lost sight of someone close to him.

His analysis matches that of the majority of observers. Sitting down, Said recalls that Raja did not know how to manage success, that the committee made errors in casting players and coaches during the summer transfer window. How come the club did not have the sporting arguments necessary to retain Josef Zinnbauer? Couldn’t the challenge of a Champions League that the Greens have been eyeing for 25 years be enough to retain the German technician? Shouldn’t we try to recruit a successor with a similar profile? It is true that in terms of game designs, Rusmir Cviko was the polar opposite of the game principles applied during the Zinnbauer period. Then, Said does not fail to blame the committee, which did everything not to retain the interim Jinani. The child of the club who was able to raise the bar in Botola with three consecutive victories. Finally, our friend wonders who validated the recruitment of Sa Pinto, not really a model of stability or experience on the Mother Continent. These questions necessarily reflect the feeling that the current management of the club made mistakes when it had to make major decisions.

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President Adil Hala and co are friend Said’s favorite target. For him, management is managing the context in the most erroneous way possible. Faced with a chronic financial crisis and endless national and international disputes, managers chose the low-cost option regarding coaches. They tried to bet at the level of the transfer window to replace the starters Mokadem, Makahasi, and Maouhoub. However, the reinforcements that are Firdaoussi, Bikoro, Bodda… are not up to the task at the moment. None of them managed to win the affection of fans. In addition to the recruitment campaign in question, Said points to the attitude of the players on the green rectangle.

For him, the Bouzok, Ennaffati, Bougrine and other Zniti remained in Agadir, where the Raja wrote in golden letters the most recent page of a unique book of memories, which has lasted since 1949. Since the recovery, it is the less gifted clones of these stars who defend the colors of the club. And Said blames the lack of involvement and commitment of the players who saw themselves at the top of the bill and who forgot that you need constant questioning when you are in search of glory. Yousri Bouzok, top scorer and passer, alone wins the “lemon prize”, awarded by our inconsolable fan. For him the winger is mentally, technically and physically below his usual performance.

Read also: Bouzok affair: the player would ask to leave Raja

In this regard, Said does not fail to allude to the matter of Raja’s official and/or premium jersey for the Champions League. He believes that the communication bug was detrimental to the great Raja and his audience, with a conclusion synonymous with a melancholy state of mind: whatever jersey he wears, Raja no longer knows how to win.