BBC SPORT | AFRICA | Morocco and Algeria rebuild

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Thursday, 21 February, 2002, 14:16 GMT

Morocco and Algeria rebuild

Madjer captained Algeria to victory in the 1990 Nations Cup, and is trying to rediscover that winning formula

Algeria's coach Rabah Madjer is popular but needs results

After disappointing at Mali 2002, Morocco and Algeria are set to begin the rebuilding of their sides at a four-nation tournament next month in Casablanca.

Morocco have named a 23-man Olympic squad for the competition, the ninth LG Cup, which kicks-off on 1 March.

Moroccan Under-23 coach Mustapha Madih is concentrating on players from the local league.

4-Nation tournament
Morocco
Algeria
Venezuela
Iran

And for Algeria coach Rabah Madjer the tournament could be the chance to spot new names for the national team.

He is already looking ahead to the 2004 Nations Cup, the qualifiers for which begin in September.

He is preparing a series of friendlies in ahead of their qualifying campaign, including matches with Austria, Angola and Belgium.

Algeria will be without most foreign-based players for the LG Cup, to which Venezuela and Iran have been invited.

And they will miss France-based Abdelhafid Tasfaout, Farid Ghazi and Omar Belbey due to injury.

Next week the Desert Warriors host French side Marseille in Algiers before travelling to Casablanca.

The winners of the LG Cup earn $50,000 as the first prize.

Related to this story:
Nomvete's one man show (30 Jan 02 | Cup of Nations)
49 in for 2004 Nations Cup (11 Feb 02 | Cup of Nations)
Chairman warns Rossi (21 Feb 02 | Dunfermline Athletic)