BREAKING: Algerian Club Sack French Coach after Champions League Exit

Algerian league giants Mouloudia Club d’Alger have sacked French gaffer Bernard Casoni, Ducor Sports understands.

The former Marseille man’s dismissal, effected an hour ago, followed his failure to guide The Deans to the knockout stages of the Total CAF Champions League.

Mouloudia bit the dust to fellow Algerian outfit ES Setif 2-1 at home at the Algiers grounds leading to their elimination.

Chairman Kaci-Said injected a lot of cash in the build-up to the continental tourney while aiming to go beyond the group stages with a quarter or semi-final spot considered a major makeover.

The 56-year-old head coach’s position began to turn untenable in the aftermath of a 2-0 lost to Morocco’s El Jadida Difaa August 18.

Winning on Wednesday night would have seen them leapfrogging Setif for the Group’s second-place on eight points. Instead, they were left red-faced, occupying the table basement in Group B topped by erstwhile champions DR Congo’s TP Mazembe.

Blames have been apportioned all over with most of the club’s legends –with a voting right in the team’s congress –pointing to Bernard as the cause of their bow.

The outcome of the results had the board umbraged amid widespread reports the coach’s fate could be sealed soonest.

Showdown talks between the relevant parties ensued. Casoni was one of those invited in a frank-talk at the club’s chairman’s office to explain how it all went wrong. Narrating his version of events, the outfit’s general manager is said to have blamed Casoni, claiming the French tactician got it wrong when he began questioning his player recruitment procedure.

The general manager’s remarks, according to an insider, were burnt out of the gaffer’s public statement that he has no say over the signing of players.

Unconvinced by the coach’s tale, president Kaci-Said opted to finally wield his axe on Bernard this evening.

A replacement has yet to be named.

Casoni, who’d, coached Club Africain, Etoile du Sahel and Stade Tunisien, won’t be short of takers after the end of his love-affair with MC Alger.

MC now have only the domestic title and Algerian FA Cup to fight for.