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AFP/Graham Stuart<br />
4<br />
Wednesday, August 3, 2011<br />
www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com<br />
football<br />
Rock from<br />
iraq part<br />
ways with sidka<br />
tHE Iraqi Football Association (IFA) has parted<br />
ways with its national team coach Wolfgang<br />
sidka after they drew goalless with Yemen in the<br />
second leg of the 2014 FIFA world cup second-round<br />
qualifier in Al Ain.<br />
the ’07 Asian champions, who won the first leg 2-0<br />
in Arbil, however, advanced on aggregate.<br />
IFA Vice-President Abdulkhaleq Masoud said, “we<br />
decided not to renew the contract of the coach after the<br />
poor results although we qualified for the third round<br />
of the world cup.”<br />
the IFA will hold a meeting later this week to decide<br />
on the German’s replacement.<br />
Sidka managed Iraq in three tournaments, including<br />
the ’11 Asian cup, since taking over the reins in last<br />
August.<br />
blues!<br />
Algerian international defender Madjid Bougherra<br />
is expected to join Qatar Stars League champions<br />
Lekhwiya, writes a special correspondent.<br />
the<br />
scOttISH Premier League<br />
champions Rangers’ defender<br />
Madjid Bougherra said he<br />
was poised to join Qatar Stars<br />
League (QSL) champions Lekhwiya,<br />
but insisted he was focused on<br />
his current team’s champions<br />
League qualifier.<br />
the 28-year-old is<br />
expected to line up<br />
against Malmo on<br />
wednesday in the<br />
second leg of the<br />
tie, with Rangers<br />
trailing 0-1<br />
from the first<br />
leg.<br />
Bougherra<br />
has been at Ibrox<br />
for three years, but<br />
believes he has taken<br />
his career as far as he<br />
can in Europe and is ready<br />
for a new challenge. the Rangers<br />
defender is reported to be subject<br />
of a £3m bid from Lekhwiya,<br />
who are confident of finalising a<br />
transfer later this<br />
week.<br />
“will I sign for Lekhwiya?<br />
Indeed, talks are going on,” he told<br />
France Football.<br />
“I don’t want to really talk<br />
about it so far. I’m completely<br />
focused on the return match of the<br />
champions League qualifier with<br />
Rangers,” he added.<br />
the Algerian international insists<br />
the QSL was improving.<br />
“In the Middle East, the game<br />
is improving quicker than what<br />
people think. Indeed, the level is<br />
really different than in Europe,” he<br />
added. “But I know the goal of the<br />
people in Qatar is to close the gap<br />
in quality.<br />
“they want young players to<br />
come over and help improve the<br />
League,” he said.<br />
Qatar-owned Paris St Germain<br />
(PSG) had reportedly been<br />
interested in signing the former<br />
charlton and Sheffield wednesday<br />
defender.<br />
But he said outside influences<br />
BoUgHeRRA, wHo wAs<br />
LInkeD wItH A moVe<br />
to Psg eARLIeR, HAs<br />
Been At IBRox foR<br />
tHRee yeARs.<br />
curtailed any chance of that deal<br />
materialising.<br />
“I was presented with the<br />
project by PSG and immediately<br />
I said yes. when I look back over<br />
my career, there’s been a natural<br />
progression,” he continued.<br />
“A move to PSG would’ve<br />
enabled me to return to a top club<br />
in France. I was asked to wait until<br />
Leonardo (Sporting Director) was<br />
appointed.<br />
“Unfortunately, two people<br />
threw a spanner in the works and<br />
then poor excuses were given. I<br />
don’t really want to get into too<br />
many details,” he said.<br />
At Lekhwiya, Bougherra is likely<br />
to replace Moroccan defender<br />
Abdesalam Ouddou.
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