Morocco: Walid Regragui accused of favouring Wydad players

Hamza Abourazzouk has taken aim at the management of Morocco head coach Walid Regragui. The former coach of the Atlas Lions accuses the current Morocco boss of favouring players from his former club, Wydad Casablanca. " In the national team's last match, Walid called up three Wydad players (Ayoub El Amloud, Yahya Attiat -Allah and Yahya Jabarane, editor's note). He did not play any of them. You take three players and you bring a whole league to a halt (…). So he is serving the interests of WAC and wants them (the players) to rest," said the former Raja Casablanca player, whose club are WAC's historic rivals.

The allegations have not gone down well in the Sherifian Kingdom. While the Moroccan coach in question has yet to respond, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and the National Football League have issued a strongly worded statement denying the allegations. "Following the false and imaginary statements made by Mr Hamza Bourzouk, a columnist with Radio Mars, during one of its programmes, questioning the methods of Atlas Lions coach Mr Walid Regragui in selecting players from national D1 league clubs during the FIFA dates, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and the National Professional Football League condemn in the strongest terms this type of inappropriate remarks, devoid of any logical foundation, which seriously damage, first and foremost, the person of the A team coach as well as all the components and institutions of the football world," reads the FRMF statement.

The FRMF does not intend to leave it there, either, and could take legal action. "The FRMF reminds everyone of its legitimate right to use the various regulatory channels to counter any damage to the image and reputation of the A national team under coach Walid Regragui and his staff, who are devoting themselves with dedication and selflessness to the upcoming fixtures," the FRMF said.