Alain Giresse, head coach of the Tunisian national team, has received a significant boost to his technical staff as preparations intensify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. The Tunisian Football Federation has officially decided to reinforce the bench of the Carthage Eagles, a move aimed at strengthening the team’s technical, tactical, and organizational framework ahead of the continental tournament.
As part of this restructuring, Ferid Ben Belgacem and Anis Boussaidi have been appointed to join Giresse’s staff. They will work alongside the French coach and his assistant, Maher Kanzari, forming an expanded technical unit designed to improve coordination, player monitoring, and overall performance management. The arrival of these two technicians reflects the federation’s desire to provide Giresse with a broader support base as Tunisia targets a strong showing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The choice of Ben Belgacem and Boussaidi is far from accidental. Both men currently serve as coaches of the Tunisian Olympic team, giving them an in-depth understanding of the country’s emerging talents as well as close familiarity with the domestic football environment. Their integration into the senior national team setup is expected to facilitate smoother exchanges between the Olympic squad and the A team, ensuring better tracking of young prospects and a more coherent long-term development strategy.
By involving coaches who are already working closely with Tunisia’s next generation, the federation is clearly signaling its intention to build continuity between youth and senior levels. This approach could prove valuable not only for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, but also for the future of Tunisian football as a whole. Ben Belgacem and Boussaidi bring knowledge of players who may soon be knocking on the door of the senior squad, as well as a fresh perspective that could enrich tactical discussions within the technical staff.
For Alain Giresse, this reinforcement arrives at a crucial moment. With the Africa Cup of Nations approaching, preparations are entering a decisive phase. Training camps, friendly matches, and squad selections require detailed planning and constant evaluation. An expanded staff allows responsibilities to be distributed more effectively, from match analysis and opposition scouting to physical preparation and individual player monitoring. It also provides the head coach with additional trusted voices when it comes to making strategic and selection-related decisions.
The announcement of these new appointments comes shortly after Giresse unveiled a preliminary list of 17 expatriate players as part of his initial preparations for the tournament. This first selection highlights the importance he places on monitoring Tunisian players based abroad, many of whom play in highly competitive European and Middle Eastern leagues. The list marks the beginning of a broader evaluation process that will eventually lead to the final squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
With a reinforced technical team and early steps already taken in player selection, Tunisia appears determined to approach the competition with thorough preparation. The Carthage Eagles, traditionally one of Africa’s most consistent sides, will be aiming to build on their past performances and challenge seriously for continental honors. The addition of Ben Belgacem and Boussaidi is therefore not merely administrative, but part of a wider strategy to optimize the national team’s structure and readiness.
As the tournament draws closer, attention will now turn to how this expanded staff works together and how effectively they can blend experience with new ideas. For Tunisian supporters, these developments offer a sense of renewed organization and ambition, fueling hopes that the Carthage Eagles will arrive at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations united, well-prepared, and capable of meeting the high expectations that surround them.
