Moroccan Olympic Team Coach Reveals Roster For Burkina Faso Friendly
Posted by admin on Thursday, 3 February 2011
Pim Verbeek has called up more foreign born players than local ones for the first time since he took over.
Former Australia national team coach Pim Verbeek has announced his 22 man roster for the Atlas Lions’ February 9th friendly against Burkina Faso. In a departure from previous lists, the Dutchman has named fourteen players who are plying their trade outside of the north African nation.
Among the call-ups are some players who have never before donned the Morocco strip. They players in question are Younes Mokhtar, Zouheir Feddal, Mehdi Khalis, Mehdi Bourabia, Abdelaziz Berrada, Zakaria Labyad, Ismail Najjah, Zakarya Bergdich, Yacine Qasmi, Said Idazza, Yassine Jebbour.
The influx of European based players has cost some locals elements their spot. Two notable absences are that of MAT Tetouan’s Yassine Lekhel and MAS de Fes’ Othman Bennay.
The list in full:
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Wydad AC), Yassine El Kharroubi (Guingamp)
Defenders: Zakaria Ismaili (Raja), Reda Atassi (Toulouse), Zouheir Feddal (San Roque), Mehdi Khalis (Falkirk), Imad Najjah (PSV), Zakarya Bergdich (Lens), Yassine Jebbour (Rennes)
Midfielders: Ali Bamaamar (MAS de Fès), Houcine Zaidoune (Wydad AC), Nabil Cherradi (Wydad de Fès), Driss Fettouhi (Istres), Mehdi Bourabia (Grenoble), Abdelaziz Berrada (Getafe), Zakaria Labyad (PSV), Younes Mokhtar (PSV), Yacine Qasmi (PSG)
Strikers: Soufiane Laghmouchi (AGOVV), Abderazzak Hamdallah (OCS de Safi), Said Idazza (Amneville), Ali Messaoud (AZ Alkmaar)
