USM Alger has confirmed the appointment of former international right-back Mohamed Rabie Meftah and experienced coach Mohamed Lacet to take joint charge of the senior team on an interim basis, following recent managerial instability.
The club’s leadership, headed by Othmane Sehbane, has turned inward for its latest solution, promoting from within after briefly entrusting the team to the club’s technical director, Sofiane Benkhelifa.
Benkhelifa oversaw the team during their recent loss to ASO Chlef but will now step aside as Meftah and Lacet assume responsibility for first-team duties.
Meftah, a revered figure at the club, had been managing USM Alger’s reserve team.
A former stalwart in defence for both club and country, the 40-year-old retired in 2022 after concluding his playing career with AS Ain M’lila.
Since then, he has steadily transitioned into coaching, beginning with a spell at JSM Béjaïa last season.
Meftah is particularly well-known to USM Alger fans, having spent a decade at the club during the peak of his playing days.
He will not navigate this new challenge alone.
USMA has also added Mohamed Lacet to the technical team.
Lacet, who previously served as an assistant at JS Kabylie under Abdelhak Benchikha, brings further experience to the coaching bench.
Prior to that, he was at the helm of Algeria’s U20 national team, gaining valuable exposure to player development and tactical preparation at the youth level.
The technical team has been further bolstered by the presence of physical trainer Belaid Medjahed and goalkeeper coach Ilyes Benhaha, who both remain part of the setup as USM Alger look to stabilise their league campaign.
The appointment of Meftah and Lacet is expected to bring a sense of continuity and familiarity to the squad, particularly as the club evaluates long-term managerial options.
While no definitive timeline has been set for their interim role, the new coaching duo has been tasked with guiding the team back to form after recent setbacks.
Meftah’s deep ties to the club and Lacet’s background in tactical coaching mark a shift toward a more internal and nationally focused approach, as USM Alger aims to reclaim stability and push forward in the remaining fixtures of the season.
