The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) is embarking on the mission to fill the coaching void left by Jalel Kadri, former head coach of the Carthage Eagles, who resigned on January 24 following Tunisia’s exit from the group stage of AFCON 2023.
In the wake of Kadri’s departure, Anis Boussaidi and Montassar Louihichi have taken interim charge, overseeing the team’s preparations for an upcoming friendly tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
The tournament, scheduled for March, will feature Tunisia alongside Croatia, Egypt, and New Zealand.
To secure a capable successor, the FTF has initiated a rigorous process, recently announcing a call for coaching applications on its official Facebook account.
Simultaneously, the authority has established a dedicated committee to meticulously review the applications.
This committee comprises Belhsan Malouche, the newly appointed National Technical Director, alongside former Carthage Eagles Mokhtar Dhouib, Najib Ghomidh, Imed Ben Younes, and a representative from the coaches’ association.
Notably absent from the committee is ex-international Khaled Badra, who was initially announced as part of the group but reportedly declined the invitation from the FTF.
The prospective coach’s mandate will extend beyond the sidelines, with the overarching goal of guiding Tunisia through the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the upcoming AFCON 2025 in Morocco.
Tunisia’s promising start in the World Cup qualifiers, securing victories over Sao Tome and Principe (4-0) and Malawi (0-1), positions them at the top of Group H.
The focus now shifts to the third qualifier in June against Equatorial Guinea, a team fresh from their exit in the round of 16 of AFCON 2023.
The new coach will bear the responsibility of sustaining Tunisia’s momentum on the international stage.
🚨 Khaled Badra REFUSE de siéger au comité de désignation du futur sélectionneur de la Tunisie ! 🇹🇳
🎙️ « Ce Wassef Jlaiel (Président de la FTF par intérim, ndlr) c’est la première fois que j’en entends parler, quand il m’a appelé, je me demandais qui était ce type. Il m’a appelé… pic.twitter.com/zdmKHpf2R1
— Noussour 🇹🇳 (@NoussourTN) January 31, 2024
