Nabil Neghiz declines to discuss Algeria after Niger’s defeat in Tizi-Ouzou

Niger manager Nabil Neghiz has refused to discuss his previous role with Algeria under Vladimir Petkovic, saying he does not want to revisit that period out of respect for his current employer.

Neghiz, who was officially appointed Niger coach on 11 September, took charge of the Menas for the first time during the latest international break. His opening results included a 2-1 victory against Lesotho and a 2-0 defeat by Gabon in the CAN 2027 qualifiers.

The 52-year-old then faced Algeria in a friendly on Tuesday, returning to Tizi-Ouzou for the first time in charge of an opposing side. Niger took the lead in the 13th minute but Algeria turned the match around after the interval, with Bachir Belloumi equalising in the 54th minute before Ramy Bensebaini scored the winner in the 72nd.

Speaking at his post-match news conference, Neghiz was asked about meeting Algeria again and about his time as part of Petkovic’s coaching staff. The former MC Alger coach, who appeared visibly emotional when the Algerian national anthem was played, acknowledged the significance of returning home but declined to go into detail about his previous experience with the national team.

“I forbid myself from talking about Algeria,” Neghiz said, making clear that his decision was linked to his responsibility towards the Niger Football Federation.

He nevertheless expressed his appreciation for his time with Algeria, describing the national team as an important step towards his first senior international management position. Neghiz also thanked the Niger federation for selecting him as their coach.

The appointment represents another stage in a long association with Algerian national teams. Neghiz previously served as an assistant with the senior side under Christian Gourcuff, Georges Leekens and Milovan Rajevac. He also worked with the Algeria A’ team under Madjid Bougherra.

His departure from the Algeria set-up came at the beginning of August, when he left alongside Petkovic following the failure surrounding the 2026 World Cup campaign. Algeria had been eliminated in the 16th finals and, according to the source article, had made a poor impression beyond the early exit.

Neghiz’s first international window as Niger manager therefore ended with one win and two defeats: victories and losses recorded against Lesotho, Gabon and Algeria respectively. Despite the result in Tizi-Ouzou, he chose to focus on his current role and avoided opening a wider discussion about his former employers and colleagues.