Algeria have appointed Christian Gourcuff as their new manager. The Frenchman left Lorient after last season, ending an 11-year run at the Ligue 1 club.
Algeria hire Christian Gourcuff as new manager
Christian Gourcuff joins Algeria after 11 years at Lorient.
Matthias Hangst
The Fennec Foxes have been in search of a new manager since the end of the World Cup. Vahid Halilhodžić did a remarkable job during the tournament, guiding Algeria to the knockout stages for the first time in their history, where they went to extra time against Germany. The tournament was hailed as a smashing success and the team was celebrated upon returning to Algeria, but Halilhodžić had agreed to take over Trabzonspor after the World Cup, leaving the Fennec Foxes in need of a new manager for the new cycle.
Gourcuff comes to Algeria with a good reputation, especially when it comes to developing young players. He scouted, signed and developed Laurent Koscielny, Christophe Jallet, Kevin Gameiro and André-Pierre Gignac, among others, something that should serve him well with Algeria. The Fennec Foxes have plenty of young talent and there are plenty of Frenchmen with Algerian ancestry, making them eligible to play for Algeria. Gourcuff will be able to scout them, then convince them to play for the Fennec Foxes.
Algeria are in a tough Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group with Mali and Ethiopia, but they should be able to finish in the top two and qualify. If they do, they will head into the tournament as one of the favorites thanks to their impressive World Cup showing.
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