The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter —
ALGERIA coach Georges Leekens has been running the ruler on the Warriors ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.
After watching, over and over again, matches featuring his team’s first opponents at the continental showcase, the Desert Foxes gaffer has concluded that Zimbabwe are difficult to break down.
In a recent interview with Jeuneafrique (www.jeuneafrique.com), Leekens declared that Algeria will be out to win the tournament but was quick to note that life in Group B will not be easy.
“I play to win. We will go to Gabon with the aim of going as far as possible. But I know from experience that in football everything can happen. The best as well as the worst,” he was quoted as saying.
“In 2015, with Tunisia, we were eliminated by Equatorial Guinea (1-2) because of an imaginary penalty.
“This year, Algeria will have as opponents Senegal, one of the best teams in Africa, a very good Tunisia, and Zimbabwe, which is not easy to manoeuvre.”
The 67-year-old Belgian gaffer, who is in his second stint with Algeria, feels like he owes the Desert Foxes after leaving in a huff in 2003.
“In 2003, after qualifying the team for the 2004 Cup of Nations, I left Algeria for personal reasons. However, I continued to follow this team and to have contacts with Mohamed Raouraoua, the president of the federation.
“I really enjoyed my first time in Algeria. When the president contacted me to find out if I was interested in a return, I agreed. I was under contract to Lokeren, but my leaders agreed to release me. I had a debt to Algeria. I am happy to work again in this country,” he said.
The Belgian tactician appreciates the pressure that Algeria will go into Afcon under.
“I know there is a lot of pressure in Algeria. But it’s not my age that will scare me. I was coach of Belgium and Tunisia, I trained in Turkey (Trabzonspor), the best Belgian clubs (Anderlecht, FC Bruges).
“The pressure I know. People want results. But even after the 1-3 defeat in Nigeria in early November, they saw that the team had shown good things.
“If the Algerians see that we are working, that we have ambition, they will be with us. Playing in Africa is never easy,” said Leekens.
