Happenings in the game in North Africa could take the most dramatic of turns such as the looming sacking of a French manager despite trailing Algeria’s domestic league table-topping side by four points.
Bernard Casoni’s services were acquired by MC Algiers July this year following the dismissal of his predecessor in a move the club had hoped would spur a renewed pursuit for the championship’s prize.
Capped thirty-three times with France’s national team, the 58-year-old was brought into the equation to help truncate defending champions USM Alger’s domestic dominance.
And four months into his managerial helm, Casoni has managed to spur MC Alger to second place in the table standings – a meteoric rise for an outfit who were mid-table occupants the previous term to potential gong chasers.
Four points separate them and summit-topping contenders Belouizdad and they have played fewer matches than the headliners in an outing of thirteen fixtures.
However, this seems not to have pleased MC’s club board Fouad Sekhri who, reports monitored in Algeria say, is on the cusp of holding showdown talks to terminate the gaffer’s deal.
Fouad appears not receptive to his team’s recent blip in form, relinquishing of the top spot so soon and believes the coach is on astronomical wages, convinced it’s best to let him and balance their financial books.
MC’s previous meeting against Belouizdad ended 1-0 in their favour on Monday in a tightly contested top-of-the-table affair.
A possible permanent replacement has not been discussed yet with Bernard’s Algerian understudy expected to take charge on a temporary basis.
A final decision is tipped to be passed before the end of this week with the French man expected to be handed a three months’ allowance as part of the deal severance agreement.
