Moroccan Soccer Star Kharja Clashes with Media over Player Transfers to Gulf

"Behind each player transfer are intermediaries and agents sometimes on the lookout for the slightest opportunity to land the best contracts, and therefore earn the biggest commissions, without worrying about the sporting aspect and the risk of compromising the player’s career both in club and internationally," wrote Liondelatlas.ma, in January. Before pointing the finger at: Houssine Kharja. He would have, according to LDA, approached Medhi Benatia. And would be behind his transfer.

The site also lists a series of Moroccan players who have been transferred to Gulf countries or were about to be, and cites: Youssef El Arabi, AbdelAziz Barrada and M’bark Boussoufa, Karim El Ahmadi, Nordin Amrabat and Marouane Da Costa. "And for a little while, they were followed by Younes Belhanda and Nabil Dirar who declined lucrative offers," LDA claims.

Kharja’s response will not be long in coming, and is also stated by LDA: "I want to set certain people straight, two individuals in particular, following their controversies concerning me. It is indeed a certain blogger, apprentice journalist or administrative policeman, to him to choose what he is, who runs a somewhat credible website dedicated to Moroccan football news, very little credible, moreover. He criticizes the players or other football people who refuse to grant him interviews, but praises those who play his game." Accusations of dishonesty and revenge, in short.

Let’s read part of LDA’s response, which is worth the detour: "Our editor is a ’Blogger’ and he is proud of it, he is an apprentice journalist before Kharja even became a Moroccan international. He did not wake up one fine morning saying ’Tonight, I’m going to take on the old toothless Lion, Houssine Kharja’ whose name has come up several times following an investigation into the recent transfers to the Gulf. It is not the fault of our editor if Khajra appears as the common denominator. Should we have remained silent when all the supporters are wondering about this massive exodus to the Gulf? And well no Mr. Kharja, your name and your seniority count very little when it comes to defending the interests of the national team or telling ’the truth’".

To be continued...