Una dey hear am? Morocco coach Walid Regragui don land for town, and e don shoot im shot for this refereeing wahala wey dey vex everybody. As e dey prepare for the semi-final against Nigeria, this man talk say make everybody stop dey drag referees matter come front and focus on the real gist – the football!
For im pre-match conference, Regragui talk say na bad thing to dey talk about refereeing decisions, say e dey spoil the game and distract pipo from wetin dey happen for pitch. E come yarn say, “Talking about refereeing na wahala. We dey for beautiful continent, plenty work dey ground, and some people dey think say we dey win matches because of referee.”
Wetin e no go do na to dey criticize officials openly. The man get correct focus, na preparation and performance im dey talk to im players about. “You no go hear me complain about referees, even when we no fit make am for Côte d’Ivoire elimination. We go support referees, no be to attack dem,” if e dey talk like say im wan chop nobi so. This matter no be wetin only dey happen for Africa, Regragui talk say everywhere you go, dem dey drag refereeing matter, na wetin happen for the whole world!
E don challenge journalists say make dem put journalists heads together for match analysis, no be wahala wey no go carry dem anywhere. E go don see cases wey penalty been dey awarded for one match, but for another, dem go just turn blind eyes. Na so football be.”
Regragui don mention some of the incidents wey don happen for him team side, like the penalty wey dem give against Tanzania wey don cause wahala about physical difference. He talk say if dem get similar matter for England, dem no go still call foul. Even as he don look matches against Mali and Cameroon, wey him feel say na serious foul on him players but dem no gree blow whistle. E give example with Bilal El Khannouss and Abde Ezzalzouli, talk say if VAR no dey gree matter, the outcome go be different.
This him matter come just dey happen as Morocco dey prepare for that big semi-final clash against Nigeria wey go happen for 9 pm, and dem dey try break their jinx as last time dem win the continental title na for 1976. E be like say this time around dem don get serious plan to make sure say dem land that trophy wey don dey hide since 1976!”
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
