Retired Algerian international player Khaled Lemouchia gave a negative assessment of the current national team coach Vladimir Petkovic’s work.

Lemouchia (43 years old) wore the “Greens” jersey in 27 international matches between 2008 and 2013, playing as a midfielder. Petkovic (62 years old) began coaching the “Greens” in early March 2024.

Lemouchia said: “Of course, I was surprised, especially since he (Petkovic) had been absent from the field for a while. I did not know him during his time at Bordeaux, although he gave good performances with the Swiss national team, but Europe is not like Africa.”

Before taking over the technical staff of the “Desert Warriors,” Petkovic had been away from coaching for two years after being dismissed by the management of French club Bordeaux in February 2022 due to poor results.

Lemouchia intensified his criticism: “He (Petkovic) does not create anything that would leave a legacy for the national team for the next four or eight years. He settles for what he has, satisfied with the minimum, and that is what we criticize him for. Unfortunately, even at the beginning of his first matches, I did not feel he was someone who would bring much to the national team.”

The former ES Sétif player hinted at the national team’s failure to beat strong teams under Petkovic’s tenure, such as Sweden, Guinea Conakry, and South Africa, among others.

Lemouchia further criticized the Swiss coach, saying: “Today, fortunately, we are moving to a World Cup with 48 teams participating, because if we followed the old approach (32 national teams), we would not be sure of qualifying.”

Khaled Lemouchia concluded his statements with the same sharp and bitter tone: “What raises his criticism is his adherence to a fixed work program and not changing it… He is very cautious, afraid to affect some key players. We really do not know where he is heading or what he wants to do.”

Lemouchia is known for his strong personality and sharp temper, to the extent that he had to leave the “Greens” camp in Angola during the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finals in protest against national coach Rabah Saadane, who did not give him a chance to play.

On the other hand, even if the criticism is legitimate and differing opinions are natural, Lemouchia fell into a trap set by an obscure French website interested in local Bordeaux club news. Noting that Petkovic pursued the management of this team legally to recover outstanding financial dues. In other words, Lemouchia was unknowingly used to harm the national coach and the “Desert Warriors.”