On Tuesday night, things got more than a little heated between Rabah Madjer, the new head coach of the Algerian national soccer team, and Maamar Djebbour, a sports writer.
The team was fresh off a 3-0 win against the Central African Republic and was answering questions from the press — a typical practice in the world of sports. But things took a turn when Djebbour asked star player Riyad Mahrez why the team had been a bit sluggish in recent games.
Enter Madjer.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 16, 2017
"Riyad, give me two seconds," said Madjer, getting ready for his attack on the 53-year-old journalist. "You are the enemy of the national team!"
"I respect all of you, but him… I don't respect you," the coach of one month yelled out. What followed next was several seconds of Madjer telling the journalist to "shut up."
"Retire and let the next generation do the job," he said, before calming down and asking for another question.
According to local media reports, Djebbour shouted back at the coach, saying: "I have a responsibility; you are the national team coach and you have to respond to our questions. You don't accept criticism, and we are not here to be your guardian. Who are you to call me an enemy?"
All the while, Mahrez remained sitting, awkwardly hugging himself and apparently trying to figure out what was going on.
The argument reportedly sparked from Madjer's defensiveness at not being well accepted by senior members of the Algerian press, who feel the 58-year-old coach "did not deserve the appointment," said Maher Mezahi, a fellow writer covering all things sports in Northern Africa.
— Maher Mezahi (@mezahimaher) November 16, 2017
Accused of "abusing" his power, Madjer was later condemned by the Algerian Sports Journalists Association (ASJA), the Washington Post reported.
"[The ASJA] asks the national team coach to have a better attitude in the future regarding giving information to journalists," a Thursday statement from the organization said. "… something he was not able to do on Tuesday evening during his violent reaction that contradicts sports ethics and serene relations that should prevail between the two parties."
