If you thought that Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill's post-match interview with Tony O'Donoghue on RTÉ was a bit frosty... You were correct, but it doesn't hold a candle to what happened in Algeria last night.
Despite a 3-0 friendly win over the Central African Republic on Wednesday night, Leicester City star Riyad Mahrez was asked to explain the team's performances in recent times as they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, finishing bottom of a group that contained Cameroon, Zambia, and Nigeria.
Before Mahrez could utter a word, however, he was cut off by his manager Rabah Madjer who attacked the journalist that asked the question in one of the most explosive meltdowns ever seen at a post-match press conference.
Madjer - who was recently appointed following the sacking of the previous manager - described journalist Maamar Djebbour as the 'enemy of the national team' in an incredible outburst as Mahrez sat there not knowing how to react.
Algeria's head coach unleashing the fury is truly a sight to behold...
. pic.twitter.com/u84er5BMFP— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 16, 2017
Wow.
As you are probably aware from the calls for him to retire and let someone else have a go, Djebbour (54) has been covering the national team for a while. The question that sparked the rant was as follows [according to AIPS]:
You’ve been in this team for a while and I would like to get back to one aspect. How can you explain today the difficulty in producing a good quality of football? [The team] were good at it for one year and a half and now you lost it.
Madjer did not take too kindly to the tone of the question and went off on a rant which has been condemned by the Association of Algerian Sports Journalists, which is something that is likely to not bother the Algeria manager in the slightest.
Mahrez looked a bit shocked at what was going on, but if anything the players will appreciate the gaffer defending them so passionately and taking the focus off their failed World Cup campaign.
