Hadji wants Gerets axed
Former Morocco international Moustapha Hadji on Tuesday called for the removal of the team’s Belgian coach Eric Gerets following the Atlas Lions’ 2-0 debacle last weekend in Maputo against Mozambique in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The former Aston Villa midfielder has attributed Morocco’s poor outing to the coach for his play pattern and choice of players.
“The problem was that most of the players he (Gerets) featured lacked competitiveness in their respective clubs. The team lacked sharpness, fighting spirit and if you saw that game against Mozambique, they weren’t playing forward, but always falling back with the ball,” Hadji said on Tuesday.
“The coach used three players of same caliber Belhanda, Boussoufa and Taarabt, unable to spread to the flanks to cut in from there. I agree with his compact style but there was about 60 metres distance between the attacking line and the defence, which was too much.
“I have been saying that my greatest fear with the Moroccan team is Gerets. A manager and a coach are two different jobs. With all the respect I have for him, I think it’s time to go. Gerets needs to leave the team now,” Hadji said.
