Former Ivory Coast coach Halilhodzic gets Algeria job
- Published
Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic has taken over as coach of the Algerian national side
The Algeria Football Federation has named Vahid Halilhodzic as the new coach of the national team.
The former Ivory Coast boss, who takes over on 1 July, has signed a three-year contract through to the 2014 World Cup.
The 59-year-old replaces Abdelhak Benchikha who was sacked after Algeria's 4-0 thrashing by Morocco in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier., external
Several other big names had been linked with the job, including former France coach Raymond Domenech.
The Bosnian Halilhodzic has been set the task of qualifying the Desert Foxes to the 2013 Nations Cup and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Algeria are struggling to reach the 2012 Nations Cup in January and are currently bottom of Group D, three points behind leaders Morocco, with two qualifying games remaining.
As well as coaching the Elephants between 2008 and 2010 Halilhodzic has a vast amount of experience in French club football where he has coached Lille, Rennes and Paris St Germain.