In Algeria, Youcef Belaili is not a player like the others. He is the enfant terrible, the “genius” capable of the best, as during CAN 2019, but also the worst, with a career marked by scandals and indiscipline. Adored by a section of supporters who forgive him everything, his raw talent remains a fascination. The arrival of Vladimir Petkovic, after the departure of Djamel Belmadi, sounded like yet another chance. The new coach, renowned for his Olympian calm, had recalled him in March, meaning that he was counting on him.
Belaili victim of his attitude, Petkovic draws a line
But the pact already seems broken. For the November matches against Zimbabwe and Saudi Arabia, Belaili’s name is not included in the list. An absence that inevitably gets people talking. Questioned this Thursday at a press conference, Petkovic delivered a very diplomatic response. “Belaili, I know him quite well. And other players that I don’t know well enough, they are there with us, so I can judge them. It was the last chance to do it before the CAN. » A polite way of saying he prefers to see new faces.
This official justification, however, is difficult to convince. The reality would be less technical and more behavioral. The performance of the ES Tunis striker during the last rally would not have convinced, but it is above all his attitude which would pose a problem. A video playing in a loop on Algerian social networks supports this thesis. We see Vladimir Petkovic, usually so placid, agitated and cursing on his sideline in the face of Belaili’s arabesques and superfluous dribbling during the match against Botswana. The irony is cruel: the unpredictable Belaili would be the only player to have succeeded in making the Bosnian coach lose his calm.
The unmanageable genius, another wasted chance?
This is not the first time that Belaili’s talent has hit the wall of professionalism. His failed stints in Europe, from Brest to Ajaccio, marked by sudden departures and controversies, built his reputation as an unmanageable player. Petkovic, perhaps unlike Belmadi who had a more emotional relationship with him, is a pragmatist. He needs certainties and reliable players to build a solid group before the CAN, not a free electron who puts his collective in danger with his mood swings.
The message sent by this non-summoning is strong. If the supporters will continue to demand their idol, the coach has shown that there will be no preferential treatment. Youcef Belaili’s credit, immense in Algeria, seems to have run out at great speed with the new boss of the Fennecs. The genius is perhaps, once again, sabotaging his international career.
