EXCLUSIVE: Uncertainty Lingers over Who Replaces Sacked JS Kabylie’s Coach

Algerian Premier League vice-champions JS Kabylie’s managerial seat is void with questions lingering over who replaces sacked coach Hubert Velude, Ducor Sport understands.

French gaffer Hubert was relieved of his coaching duties on Wednesday evening in the wake of the defeat to fourth-placed USM Abbes, the fourth loss for the giants in nine outings.

The 60-year-old erstwhile TP Mazembe man was appointed two months ago as Frank Dumas’ replacement who helped Kabylie finish second last term.

Dumas parted ways with trigger-happy chairman Cherif Mellal following a dispute, branding the club’s ambition of a quarter-final or semis feat in the CAF Champions League and securing the domestic league title as “unrealistic.”

There are claims controversial club boss Mellal is now biting his fingers for letting go Frank who’s credited for morphing Kabylie from contended average performers to title favourites.

In the lead up to Wednesday’s dismissal, confidence in the manager seemed to have dwindled among executives and there were calls for the exercise of circumspection by Cheriff over sacking Velud too soon considering a permanent replacement will take weeks to sort out, an insider tells Durcor Sports.

However, Cheriff felt the coach’s love affair with the club should end forthwith in an effort to install in a new man to rescue their season.

Questions are now being posed over who now takes over the reins with the club at a critical stage.

A random sampling of back pages in Algiers by this publication shows a general consensus for an experienced foreign coach to fill in the void.

The decision to let go of Velud, it’s believed, was quickened by the coach’s lack of support after falling out with some senior figures over his move to deliver a dressing down on players after a string of poor results.