Vladimir Petkovic set for Algeria departure as Spanish coaching school emerges as leading option

Vladimir Petkovic has told members of his coaching staff that his time as Algeria manager is coming to an end, according to reports from Algerian journalist Mohamed El Ouadhahi of beIN Sports.

Petkovic’s departure is expected to be confirmed officially in the coming period, bringing his spell in charge of the national team to a close and paving the way for a new manager to lead the Desert Warriors.

El Ouadhahi revealed the development in a post on his official Facebook account. He said the Swiss coach had informed his staff that his assignment with Algeria had reached its conclusion.

The journalist also reported that Petkovic and the Algerian Football Federation had agreed to end their relationship by mutual consent. Formal confirmation from the federation is still awaited.

The reports follow several days of speculation about a possible breakdown in relations between Petkovic and the federation. Claims had circulated that the two sides were involved in serious disagreements or attempts to exert pressure on one another.

However, El Ouadhahi said those reports were inaccurate. He stated that the coach and the federation had reached an amicable agreement to terminate the contract, without a major dispute or significant financial demands.

The arrangement is expected to allow Petkovic to leave quietly while preserving the relationship between the manager and the governing body.

Attention has now turned to the identity of Algeria’s next head coach. El Ouadhahi said a manager from the Spanish coaching school currently appears to be the leading possibility to succeed Petkovic.

No name has been given for the potential replacement, and the federation has not yet formally confirmed either Petkovic’s departure or the direction it intends to take with the next appointment.

Algerian commentator Hafid Derradji also reported that Petkovic had told his assistants his journey with the national team was over.

“Petkovic informed his assistants that his journey with the Algerian national team had ended and that he would not continue leading the Greens, after reaching an agreement by mutual consent with the president of the Algerian Football Federation,” Derradji wrote.

The comments add to growing expectations that the Swiss coach will leave the post, although the final word remains with the Algerian Football Federation.

Until that announcement is made, the details of the separation and the identity of the manager who will lead Algeria in their forthcoming commitments remain unconfirmed. The federation’s statement will therefore determine whether Petkovic’s tenure has formally ended and whether the next phase of the Desert Warriors’ programme will be placed in the hands of a Spanish coach.