ALG: Yazid Mansouri reveals major challenges facing JS Kabylie

JS Kabylie coach admits new management inherited a difficult situation ahead of the new season

Yazid Mansouri says JS Kabylie are going through a period of transition as the club prepares for the new championship season after a difficult summer marked by changes to the squad, coaching staff and management.

Mansouri, who combines the roles of technical and sporting director, gave a detailed assessment of the club’s situation during a press conference at the Hocine-Aït-Ahmed Stadium just days before the start of the championship.

The former Algeria international explained that his arrival came at a particularly challenging time.

Pre-season training began on 4 July, but when Mansouri joined the club there was no head coach or technical staff in place.

The squad had also been reduced by several departures, leaving the new management with a considerable amount of work to complete before the beginning of the campaign.

Mansouri describes difficult start

Mansouri said the circumstances surrounding his arrival made preparations particularly demanding.

“The season resumed on July 4th. I arrived under somewhat unusual circumstances. There was no coach when I arrived. There was no staff either. A reduced team, with many departures that needed replacing. So there were many things to put in place, and getting started was difficult. You have to understand that we’re in a period of transition. A new management team has just arrived, a new staff, quite a few disruptions. For one person, that’s a lot to manage,” explained Mansouri.

The JS Kabylie official said the club had to deal with several issues simultaneously while trying to prepare the team for the new season.

Recruitment quickly became one of the biggest challenges facing the club, with Mansouri admitting that the transfer market had proved particularly difficult.

Foreign recruitment creates additional problems

Mansouri said the restrictions surrounding the recruitment of foreign players had created further complications.

“I also had to deal with the transfer window, which is very complicated. As you can see, I think you’re experts. You know that this year it’s difficult,” he acknowledged.

The new rules governing foreign players, including restrictions relating to their age and selection criteria, were also unfamiliar to Mansouri when he arrived.

“When I arrived, I noticed there were also constraints regarding the transfer market for foreign players, such as age restrictions and selection criteria. That was all new to me. So there’s a lot to take in and a lot of information to gather,” he continued.

Despite the difficulties, Mansouri said the club had worked hard to make up for lost time and give the team the best possible preparation.

“We did everything we could. We had some catching up to do. We got to work to be able to prepare for our league campaign as best as possible. That’s basically what happened over the past month and a half,” he added.

JS Kabylie facing financial limitations

The club’s financial position was another issue addressed during the press conference.

Mansouri acknowledged that JS Kabylie do not have the same resources as some of their competitors, making it difficult to recruit established players from bigger clubs.

“It’s difficult to recruit players who play for big clubs,” he stated frankly.

The admission highlights the limitations facing the new management as it attempts to assemble a competitive squad.

With supporters expecting the club to challenge near the top of the league, Mansouri acknowledged the demands surrounding the team while insisting that the current circumstances must also be recognised.

Mansouri refuses to lower expectations

Despite the challenges, Mansouri said JS Kabylie would continue to compete and work towards rebuilding the team.

“The administration, the fans, there are high expectations. High demands; it’s been a long time since the club has won anything. We arrive and find the team in a difficult situation. I’m not going to hide behind that. That’s the reality. We inherited a situation; we have to find solutions,” he emphasized.

Rather than making an immediate commitment to winning the title, Mansouri wants to establish a competitive team capable of challenging the strongest sides.

“We’re going to try to make our mark in the championship.”

Experience and youth key to rebuilding

Mansouri said the club’s approach will involve finding the right balance between experienced players and younger members of the squad.

“Building a team, making good signings, assembling a good coaching staff, working in the best possible conditions. The objective is to try and make our mark in the league. We’ll do our utmost to be competitive. Nevertheless, there’s a compromise between experience and youth,” he explained.

The JS Kabylie director also stressed that the team would not attempt to accelerate the rebuilding process unnecessarily.

” we’ll play one match at a time and try to compete,” concluded Mansouri, while making a direct appeal to the club’s supporters: “We’ll need the fans to help us.”

For Mansouri, the immediate task is therefore to guide JS Kabylie through a period of considerable change while gradually building a squad capable of competing in the championship.

The new season will provide the first opportunity for the Canaries’ new management to put that approach into practice.