The new Algerian Football Federation President, Kheireddine Zetchi, is said to be keenly intent on recruiting Italian coach Claudio Ranieri, a former Leicester City coach, as the new head coach of the Algeria national football team in the coming period, in replacement of George Leekens, who was sacked after the dismal « setback », sustained by the failing Greens in the AFCON final competition held two months ago in Gabon.
The new President of the « FAF » has confirmed after taking over the helm of the Algerian federation that he wants to pinpoint first the identity of the new head coach of the Algeria squad so as to shift to other serious matters before facing Togo in a June qualifier, as part of the first round of the 2019 African Cup of Nations finals to be hosted by Cameroon.
Sources told “Echorouk” that the new FAF President is now seriously thinking of the track of Claudio Ranieri, who knows perfectly Ryad Mahrez and Islam Slimani whom he had coached at Leicester as well as other Algerian players who evolve in the English football championship.
Furthermore, the goal-scorer of the national football line-up namely, Islam Slimani, was present at the end of last week in Algeria, where he was seen at the stadium of 20th August 1955 in Algiers to follow a first-league championship fixture between his former team CR Belouizdad and ES Setif, and had met there with Mr. Zetchi for that purpose.
The same source said that the Italian coach is now well positioned on the list of vying coaches after the election of Kheireddine Zetchi to the presidency of the FAF.
It should be noted that Claudio Ranieri never took in charge a national football squad in his coaching career.