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Algeria’s team has its new technical director. The Algerian Football Federation confirmed on Saturday the appointment of Brahim Hemdani at the helm of the senior national team, with Antar Yahia serving as assistant. The announcement brings an end to the transitional period that began after Vladimir Petkovic’s departure and marks a distinctly Algerian choice: a former international, already part of the federation’s ecosystem, to relaunch the Desert Foxes.
An internal choice rather than a foreign gamble
The decision was made following a meeting of the Federal Bureau in Sidi Moussa.
The decision was made following a meeting of the Federal Bureau in Sidi Moussa. Several options had been discussed, including foreign candidates, but the FAF ultimately opted for continuity. Hemdani knows Algerian football, its expectations and its pitfalls. His name does not check the box of a major résumé from an established coach, but it offers something else: proximity to emerging generations and the legitimacy of a former high-level player.
The message is clear. After Petkovic, Algeria is not merely looking for a technician tasked with choosing an XI. It is trying to restore order around the national team, with figures capable of speaking to the dressing room and the public. Antar Yahia, a powerful symbol of the Desert Foxes’ recent history, also brings an obvious emotional dimension. That does not win a match, but it can help rebuild a common foundation.
At the same time, Moussa Saïb has reportedly been announced as general manager within the staff by Algerian media. The new structure therefore resembles a staff designed as much to provide supervision as to coach, with clearly defined roles for former internationals.
Hemdani arrives with a reputation to build
The main debate will not concern Brahim Hemdani’s playing career, but his experience on the bench. The former midfielder, who notably played for Marseille and the Rangers, does not arrive with the linear career of a national-team coach already seasoned by major international campaigns. That is both the limitation and the appeal of the choice.
The FAF appears to be banking on his recent work with the youth national teams and his knowledge of emerging players. This bridge could matter for a team that must renew itself without cutting ties too quickly with its senior figures. Algeria needs results, but also a clearer narrative after stretches that were sometimes confusing. Hemdani will therefore have to establish a clear sporting hierarchy, choose a style and manage a level of pressure that, in Algerian international football, rarely arrives quietly.
Antar Yahia’s support could carry weight during this initial phase. His international experience, his relationship with major occasions and his ability to embody the shirt give the staff a recognizable face. The challenge now is to turn this symbolic strength into concrete decisions: the squad list, attacking structure, defensive balance and management of dual nationals.
The first squad lists will say a lot
The appointment above all opens a period of close observation. The first camps will show whether Hemdani extends recent choices or accelerates the renewal. Supporters will be waiting for names, but they will also be watching the principles: who plays in midfield, what role the youngsters have, what status the senior players hold and what ambition there is in the way the team plays.
The new national-team coach will not enjoy the comfort of a long honeymoon. In Algeria, the national team operates under constant pressure—sometimes burdensome, often passionate. His first task will be to provide a clear direction. The official announcement closes one chapter; the next matches will show whether this staff of former Desert Foxes can reignite a more stable momentum.