Football
Ed Dove, Special to ESPN 6y

Algeria dismiss coach Rabah Madjer, says sports minister

Algeria's Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Hattab, has confirmed that the Algerian Football Federation have parted ways with head coach Rabah Madjer after just five matches.

FAF organised an extraordinary general meeting on Saturday in order to discuss the coach's future, with Hattab confirming that the decision has been taking to dismiss the former international.

"[Madjer] is a former great, a great school of Algerian football, but concerning the post of head coach, he hasn't succeeded," Hattab told journalists, as per Le360.

"It's necessary to take the lessons from this," he added, "because the national team must give joy and happiness."

Madjer, one of Algeria's greatest players and the nation's only European Cup winner, was named head coach in October 2017, replacing Lucas Alcaraz.

His tenure comes to an end following four consecutive friendly defeats - against Iran, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde and Portugal - although he had overseen two victories in the previous matches, against the Central African Republic and Tanzania.

Algeria were held 1-1 by Nigeria in their final World Cup qualifier, but were awarded the contest 3-0 after the Super Eagles fielded an ineligible player.

The North African giants failed to qualify for the World Cup, but began their 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory over Togo.

Algeria are now searching for their sixth manager in just over two years, following the exits of Milovan Rajevac, Georges Leekens and Christian Gourcuff, as well as Madjer and Alcaraz

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