Brahim Hemdani is the new head coach of the Algerian national football team. The appointment comes just a few weeks before the start of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, BTA reported, citing Reuters. Born in France, Hemdani is a former player for Olympique Marseille and Glasgow Rangers. He also has two matches with the Algerian national team, recorded in 2008.
The new coach does not have serious experience leading professional teams. Until now, he has worked with amateur clubs in France, and two months ago he was appointed coach of the Algerian national team under 20.
Hemdani now gets the opportunity to lead the representative team, succeeding Vladimir Petkovic. The Swiss specialist left his post after the World Cup in the summer, despite Algeria reaching the last 16 of the tournament.
The first serious test for Hemdani will be the qualifying campaign for the Africa Cup of Nations. Algeria will start their participation on September 25th, hosting Zambia. Four days later, the Algerians will visit Burundi in their second match of the qualifiers.