Ziyech, the Chelsea player, has managed to attract attention, since his sun rose with the Moroccan national team in 2015, as he participated in 40 matches, during which he scored 17 goals.
Halilhodzic had launched a sharp attack on the 28-year-old, after the Moroccan team was eliminated from the eighth round of the last African Nations Cup in Cameroon, to continue the crisis that began long ago.
The Serbian coach accused Ziyech of lack of discipline and neglect of wearing the shirt of his country, saying: “Hakim is among 3 undisciplined players who do not want to warm up or train.”
He continued his attack: “I will not choose a player who causes a loss of balance in the group, even if it is Messi. Ziyech’s behavior does not suit the team. He does not take matters seriously and I will not beg him to return.”
inevitable return
But Karim Obe, the former Moroccan player and the current player’s agent, confirmed in an interview with “Sky News Arabia” that Ziyech’s retirement will negatively affect the national team, stressing that “Ziyach’s name is prestige for the team.”
He continued, “There is no harm to the player as a result of his decision to retire. Hakim plays in the best tournaments in the world and has a good name. But he expected that “the coach who will take over the task after Halilhodzic will call Ziyash and the player will respond.” I’m sure he’ll come back. Hakim decided to retire because of the presence of Halilhodzic and Mustafa Hajji in their positions, but wearing the Moroccan shirt again is inevitable.”
He continued, “The exit of the national team’s stars such as Ziyech means that there is a defect in the technical staff of the national team that must be corrected.”
He stressed, “We saw the matches of the Moroccan national team in the Nations Cup, the level was weak, and without Ashraf Hakimi’s influential performance, the performance would have been weaker, and this is very frank.”
He concluded: “The Moroccan national team was better than it appeared in Elkan, but now the players’ agents are interfering with their relations, with players joining the Atlas Lions in order to market them.”
hasty decision
On the other hand, Egyptian sports critic Mohamed Mandour believes that Ziyash’s hasty decision to retire does not serve the player or the team, indicating that it is based on a momentary emotion aimed at punishing the team or inciting public opinion against Vahid Halilhodzic.
Mandour said in an interview with “Sky News Arabia”: “No matter how many justifications Ziyech gave, it was clear from the timing of his decision that he was trying to embarrass the coach and only thought of his personal interest only, especially since he was the one who caused the problems and did not adhere to the team’s camps, not the coach.”
He added, “I do not think that there will be any harm to the Moroccan team, but I see that disciplinary decisions always serve the group and send a message to everyone that no one is above the team, whatever its name.”
He continued, “As for the player, he is the one who needs to represent Morocco in the World Cup and raise its flag, and his behavior based on emotions may cause him harm in terms of representing clubs, especially since it is not his first problem.”
He concluded: “I do not think that the player can represent the national team at the present time, and if Morocco is expected to rise to the World Cup without him, the public demand will increase not to return again.”
He concluded: “As for the failure to qualify for the World Cup and the departure of the current coach, one of them may play the role of a dove of peace, and Ziyech will return to the Moroccan team again.”
