Morocco Coach Regragui Under Fire After Shock AFCON Exit

"Regragui has shattered the hopes of the Moroccan nation with a strong national team and exceptional elements with huge potential," exclaimed Mohamed Almaghoudi during his appearance on the "Arab Football" show. Favored for the title, Morocco was eliminated in the round of 16 of the CAN by South Africa (2-0) on Tuesday. The sports analyst holds the coach of the Atlas Lions responsible for this failure. According to him, the Moroccan technician is not very concerned about his team’s participation in the continental competition.

"Regragui has created problems for us anyway, but Morocco is capable of correcting them. Let me say that Walid Regragui went to Côte d’Ivoire with his tongue only, his football frame of reference and his technical, tactical and technical level remained in Qatar, and therefore the man was off the subject and did not try to know or read his opponents as much as he tried to respond to social networks or respond to serious press," commented the sports analyst.

Almaghoudi points to the arrogance of the 2004 CAN finalist: "He no longer cares about the criticism of the serious press and does not even pay attention to the criticism of experts, and here Walid Regragui made a mistake and became more arrogant and developed what could be called megalomania". Despite the criticism, he does not wish for the coach of the Atlas Lions to be fired. The sports analyst asks that he be given a second chance on condition that he returns to "Walid the coach who is still at the beginning of his career". If he is kept in office, he "must realize that the responsibility of a national team is not that of a club, and that Morocco has the means to compete for the continental title," he added.

To read: Morocco’s World Cup Heroes Stunned in AFCON Upset, Coach Regragui’s Future Uncertain

Almaghoudi expects Regragui to make amends at the next CAN to be held in Morocco in 2025. "When Morocco hosts the Africa Cup of Nations, it will be an opportunity not to be missed, and Regragui must prepare well for this tournament, and he has no excuse to fail," he continued.