Félix Sánchez Bas emerges as leading candidate to replace Petkovic

Félix Sánchez Bas has emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Vladimir Petkovic as Algeria manager, with the Spanish coach appearing to have moved ahead of several other names under consideration.

The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) is assessing a number of options for the position, but Sánchez Bas is now understood to have an advantage over the other candidates.

His coaching background and financial requirements are among the factors working in his favour as discussions over Petkovic’s successor develop.

Rafael Benitez, Quique Setién and Tom Saintfiet are among the other coaches linked with the position. However, Sánchez Bas is currently regarded as the strongest option, with his salary demands viewed as more compatible with the FAF’s budget.

His expected salary is also lower than Petkovic’s, making the financial aspect of a potential appointment particularly important to the Algerian federation. That has helped Sánchez Bas strengthen his position in the succession process.

The 51-year-old’s coaching experience is another element appreciated by the FAF. Sánchez Bas began his coaching career in youth football, including a spell with FC Barcelona, before spending several years working in Qatar at the Aspire Academy.

His experience in international football has also been extensive. The Spanish coach worked with Qatar’s Under-19, Under-20 and Olympic teams before eventually taking charge of the country’s senior side.

Sánchez Bas’s most notable achievement came with Qatar in the 2019 Asian Cup, when he guided the national team to the continental title. He had previously won the same competition at Under-19 level with Qatar in 2014.

His career has since included spells in charge of Ecuador and Al Sadd, adding further international and club experience to his coaching profile.

The FAF is also understood to value Sánchez Bas’s linguistic abilities. His fluency in Spanish and English, combined with his understanding of French, is viewed as another advantage as Algeria considers the next stage of its national-team project.

With several candidates still mentioned in connection with the role, Sánchez Bas has nevertheless established himself as the most prominent contender.

His willingness to take charge of Algeria and the combination of his experience and financial expectations have strengthened his position.

The succession of Petkovic is therefore becoming clearer, with Sánchez Bas currently standing out as the coach most likely to take over the Fennecs.