Hakim Benali has been elected as the new president of US Oued Amizour (USOA), a position he says he "inherited like a poisoned gift." In an interview with La Dépêche de Kabylie, Benali explained that several Annual General Elections (AGE) had passed without producing a concrete outcome, and with a lack of candidates, he was persuaded to take over the club's presidency despite not being a candidate initially. Benali had previously managed the club during two difficult periods.
Benali's election comes as the club is looking to complete the Olympic cycle, which will end at the end of the season. He previously managed USOA in January 2018 and December 2019, periods during which the club was in a delicate situation. In 2018, the team finished last with 7 points, and in 2019, they had only 6 points. Benali expressed concerns about the club's financial struggles and administrative issues, which made it challenging to maintain its position.
The club's members had rejected the idea of a provisional directoire, and after debates and consultations, Benali agreed to take over on the condition that the group working with him would remain until the end of the season. He emphasized that he is financially drained, having already provided funds to the club without recovering them. Benali called on the authorities, economic operators, and benefactors to support the club.
Benali's immediate objective is focused on administrative tasks, including preparing a comprehensive file for subvention requests. He has also established a youth commission, led by Djelloul Mammeri, and recruited Mustapha Bouhadji and Khierdine Mahfoudh to oversee the younger categories. Benali stressed that these individuals are children of the club who have contributed significantly to it, and their efforts will not be marginalized.
The club's technical aspects have been entrusted to Nassim Dehouche, a former player from the region, who was chosen by a technical commission composed of former players. Mourad Tairi has been retained as the goalkeeper coach. Benali expressed gratitude to Billal Aitouche, the U19 coach, who will now focus on the junior team.
Despite the team's current last-place position before the 6th matchday, Benali remains optimistic about their chances, citing the long championship season and the relatively small gap between USOA and other clubs at the bottom of the table. Having previously experienced similar situations, Benali is confident that the club can recover and improve its standing.
Benali concluded by thanking those who have placed their trust in him, despite the challenges he faces. He expressed his commitment to not disappointing the USOA sports family and is determined to work towards reviving the club's fortunes.
Key points
- Hakim Benali faces significant challenges in reviving US Oued Amizour, including financial struggles and administrative issues.
