Algerians in Europe 2007-2008

[Al-khiyal]

March 31, 2008 -- .....Olympique Marseille kept alive their hopes of a top-three finish by winning 2-1 at Lorient in yesterday's late match.

The former European champions, who had picked just one point from their last two league outings, recaptured their winning ways and stayed fourth but closed the gap on Nancy to three points.

Lorient moved in front shortly before halftime with a penalty from Algeria midfielder Rafik Saifi but the visitors responded after the break with goals from Ivory Coast midfielder Kanga Akale and Senegal striker Mamadou Niang.

The top two from Ligue 1 make the Champions League with the third-placed team entering the showcase competition's qualifying round.

[Al-khiyal]

Ziani: A rubbish season

April 9, 2008 -- Karim Ziani reckons that his first season with Marseille has been terrible.

The Algeria international was one of the most highly rated players in Ligue 1 last season when he helped Sochaux win the Coupe de France.

But his move to L’OM, a club that has plenty of fans in his country, has proved to be a bad decision as he has not been a regular starter at Le Velodrome and had a fall out with coach Eric Gerets who decided to ban him.

Paris Saint Germain tried to lure him out of Provence back in January, but the playmaker opted to fight for his place in the squad.

“It has been a rubbish season,” he told La Provence. “It is a new test. I would lie if I said it is easy to live. There is such media frenzy around me!

“It was like fresh air when I played the last friendly with my country. It permitted me to forget what previously happened.

“I do not want to speak about that affair, I want to look forward. It was a pain for my family to see my face in the front pages for the wrong reasons. I accepted the club’s decision (to axe him) because they are my employer.

“I feel 100 percent Marseillais. I have a four-year contract and I have always wanted to impose myself at L’OM.

“My objective is to recover my best football at Marseille. If people think that the articles creating bad publicity will make want to leave L’OM, they are wrong.”

[Al-khiyal]

L'Algérien Bouazza (Fulham) ciblé par Sunderland

Lundi 14 Avril 2008 -- L'attaquant international algérien de Fulham, Hameur Bouazza, figurerait sur les tablettes de Sunderland (1re division anglaise), a rapporté hier le site spécialisé Football-365. Le footballeur algérien dont le contrat court jusqu'en 2011, pourrait quitter Fulham, actuel dix-neuvième de Premier League, en cas de relégation. Ainsi, Sunderland serait notamment sur sa piste, précise la même source. Âgé de 23 ans, Bouazza avait rejoint les rangs de Fulham à l'intersaison pour un contrat de 4 ans pour un montant de transfert qui avoisinerait les 5,5 millions d'euros. L'international algérien (1,78 m, 76 kg) a disputé 20 matchs cette saison dont 15 en tant que titulaire. Il a inscrit un but face à Manchester City (3-3), lors de la 7e journée. Fulham, le club du milliardaire égyptien El-Fayed, occupe actuellement la 19e place dans le championnat d'Angleterre avec 27 points à l'issue de la 34e journée.

[Al-khiyal]

Arsenal poised to swoop for Algerian international midfielder Ghilas

April 15, 2008 -- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is preparing a summer swoop for Algerian international midfielder Kamel Fhati Ghilas.

Gunners' spies have been tracking the 24-year-old for several months and Wenger has received enthusiastic reports.

Since Eduardo broke his leg at Birmingham in February, Arsenal have seen their title chances evaporate. They have won just one of their last seven Premier League games and have also been dumped out of the UEFA Champions League.

The striker's absence from a small squad has highlighted limitations at the Emirates Stadium and the Gunners' boss has been widely criticised for not spending to strengthen the side.

Now Wenger has set his sights on French-born 24-year-old Ghilas. The former Cannes player has been impressing with Portuguese top division club Vitoria Guimaraes this season.

He can play in central midfield, on the left side of midfield or as a forward.

[Al-khiyal]

L’attaquant de Panions Rafik Djebbour à El Khabar :
« Ma blessure ne m’empêchera pas de jouer face au Sénégal »

Jeudi 17 avril 2008 -- L’attaquant algérien du club de Panions, Rafik Djebbour, a affirmé que sa blessure au niveau de l’épaule n’était pas dangereuse et qu’elle n’allait pas l’empêcher de jouer avec les Verts.

Le second buteur du championnat grec a déclaré qu’il s’entraînait régulièrement avec son équipe sans porter de plâtre, ajoutant « j’ai des entraînements où je ne sollicite pas mon épaule, et ma blessure est malheureusement intervenue à un mauvais moment mais je ne craint pas pour ma participation avec la sélection nationale dans la rencontre face au Sénégal. Le médecin du club m’a indiqué que j’allais me rétablir dans deux semaines et je pourrais alors retrouver la compétition selon l’évolution de mon état bien sûr ».

Il a, par ailleurs, confirmé son souhait de quitter son club, déclarant « je ne vous cacherai pas que j’ai reçu des offres importantes d’Allemagne, d’Angleterre, de France et d’Espagne, ce qui me pousse à vouloir changer d’équipe la saison prochaine. Les négociations n’ont pas encore commencé entre mon club et ceux qui souhaitent me recruter étant donné que je n’ai pas de manager ».

[Al-khiyal]

Frustrated Rangers star Hemdani wants summer exit and Reading and Birmingham could join the chase

April 28, 2008 -- Brahim Hemdani is ready to ask Rangers for a transfer out of Ibrox in the summer.

The Algerian midfielder wanted to leave as the transfer window closed last August, but the move was blocked by the club as the Champions League group stage loomed.

Now, it is understood Hemdani has changed agents in a bid to extricate himself from Rangers, with a move to the Premier League in England his preferred option.

Hemdani has a year left on the four-year deal he signed when he arrived from Marseille on a Bosman in the summer of 2005 and may even request a free transfer.

Rangers are entitled to demand a fee should they decide that the holding midfielder is surplus to Walter Smith's requirements and it would be a major surprise if they allowed him to leave for nothing.

Spanish club Osasuna were interested in Hemdani last August and it is believed a French club also harbour hopes of bringing the 30-year-old back to Ligue 1.

Premier League sides like Reading and Alex McLeish's Birmingham could join the chase, depending on how they fare in their relegation survival fight. Likewise, a couple of promotion-chasing clubs in the Championship.

Thomas Buffel is in a similar position, in terms of his contract expiring in June 2009, with the Belgian midfielder having seen even less first-team action than Hemdani over the course of Rangers' quadruple bid.

[Al-khiyal]

Manchester United fait signer une perle algérienne

Vendredi 2 Mai 2008 -- Le finaliste de la coupe d’Europe des clubs champions, la Champion’s League, le prestigieux club anglais Manchester United vient de faire l’acquisition d’un jeune joueur d’origine anglo-algérienne selon le site spécialisé player60.football.fr.

À 17 ans, Youssef Seghiri formé au club de Derby County était convoité par les plus grands clubs européens. Chelsea, l’Olympique Lyonnais et le Bayern de Munich ont fait les yeux doux à ce joueur de père algérien et de mère anglaise.

Youssef Seghiri a finalement rejoint le club de Sir Alex Fergusson et son armada de stars, les Nani, Christiano Ronaldo, Paul Shcholes ou Carlos Tevez.

Et comme une bonne nouvelle n'arrive jamais seule, Youssef Seghiri aurait fait part de son intention de jouer sous les couleurs de l’Algérie.

Voilà qui changerait après les Zidane, Nasri et Benzema…