Despite the stakes of a semi-final of the African Cup of Nations awaited by an entire people against Nigeria, this Wednesday January 14 (9 p.m.), Walid Regragui also wanted to pay tribute to Rolland Courbis. The latter, iconic trainer and media personality, died Monday at the age of 72.
Tuesday, as the traditional match eve press conference drew to a close, the Morocco coach took the microphone to challenge and ask for the support of the Moroccan public (“you are our twelfth man, Wednesday evening, you should no longer have a voice”) then, more moved, to salute the memory of “Coach Courbis” and send his “condolences to the family”.
The two men had known each other in the early 2000s. Coach of the Corsican club, Courbis had recruited Regragui in 2001. They had worked alongside each other for two seasons.
“I would like to extend my condolences to the family of Rolland Courbis who died yesterday (Monday), who was my coach in Ajaccio, confided the Morocco coach. I had great times. He relaunched my career. I send my condolences to Clara, Olivia and Stéphane, his family. He’s someone who helped me a lot, who also advised me outside (the club) when I started getting my diplomas. For me, he is one of the best coaches, and I wanted to think of him and his family. »
A great tribute and a new source of motivation before the half against Nigeria this Wednesday.
The other CAN semi-final will pit Senegal and Egypt from 6 p.m.
