Eight game suspension for Amrouche
National coach fired in the middle of the tournament after bad allegations
January 20, 2024, 9:16 a.m
For Tanzania’s footballers, it’s actually about finally achieving their first victory in their third Africa Cup participation. However, after the 3-0 defeat in the opening game against Morocco, national coach Adel Amrouche complained in an interview. That gets him banned and fired.
At the start of the Africa Cup, Tanzania’s footballers lost 3-0 to World Cup semi-finalists Morocco. What at first glance looks like a bitter but explainable defeat against one of the tournament favorites, for Tanzania’s national coach Adel Amrouche, had reasons that go beyond the differences in play. The Algerian gave vent to his anger in a TV interview – and was then first banned and then thrown out. Although there are still two games on the program in the preliminary round in Cote d’Ivoire.
In the conversation, Amrouche made massive accusations against Moroccan officials. He claimed that they would be able to decide who would be appointed as a referee for Morocco’s national team and when these games would be scheduled. “Morocco manages African football,” said the 55-year-old. “And we remain simple spectators.” The objection from Morocco did not take long to arrive. And the African football association CAF, the organizer of the Africa Cup of Nations, reacted immediately.
The CAF suspended Amrouche for eight games “for his statements about Moroccan officials” and fined him $10,000. The Tanzanian association, in turn, responded by immediately dismissing the Algerian. Amrouche only took over the Taifa Stars in March 2023 and has since led them to four wins, four draws and five defeats. He previously worked as a national coach in Yemen, Botswana, Libya, Kenya, Burundi and Equatorial Guinea.
In the 1990s and 2000s, the 55-year-old worked for, among others, Royal Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium, which defeated 1. FC Union Berlin in the Europa League round of 16 last season and was then eliminated in the quarter-finals against Bayer Leverkusen. In the current season they will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the intermediate round of the Conference League on February 15th and 22nd (live on RTL+ and in the live ticker on ntv.de).
Amrouche’s current assistant coach, Hemed Suleiman, will take Amrouche’s place for at least the rest of the tournament. For Tanzania, the third African Cup participation after 1980 and 2019 will be in the further preliminary round games against Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. So far, the selection has not won the continental tournament; their only point so far came on their debut in 1980 with a 1-1 draw against current hosts Cote d’Ivoire.