Mohamed Amine Alioua: AS FAR is always hungry for titles
- AS FAR women's team Head Coach Mohamed Amine Alioua speaks with CafOnline.com
- Alioua discusses his team’s ambitions for the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League
- Moroccan coach highlights four key factors that underpin AS FAR’s success
Moroccan tactician Mohamed AmineAlioua says the 2024 CAF Women's Champions League will be tough due to the rapid development of women’s football across Africa.
Alioua, coach of the AS FAR women’s team, insists his squad is determined to win titles and is eager to secure more trophies during the upcoming competition.
He noted that the competition plays a crucial role in advancing women’s football in Africa, which is experiencing significant growth.
For the fourth consecutive time, AS FAR has reached the CAF Women’s Champions League finals. What has led to this remarkable achievement?
Alioua: We are grateful to Allah for guiding us to the finals of the CAF Women’s Champions League for the fourth time in a row. I commend our players for achieving this crucial goal. This is just the beginning of our preparations for the finals, which will be demanding given the progress of women’s football across Africa.
What is the secret behind AS FAR’s consistent success in reaching the CAF Women’s Champions League for four consecutive years?
For three years now, I’ve been asked this question, and I can summarize the secret in four key elements. First, the exceptional quality of our players, who excel both on and off the field. Second, our club’s top-level management, which has been working on this project since 2012. Third, our vast community of supporters who constantly motivate the players to give their best. Lastly, stability is essential. In the past twelve years, only three coaches have led the team. Since 2012, we have won multiple titles thanks to our passion and determination, but we are always striving for new successes. AS FAR is a team built to shine.
You won the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2022 and reached the semi-finals three times in a row. You surely have high expectations for the next edition, don’t you?
Our team is evolving, with some players nearing the end of their careers and others, like Fatima Tagnaout and Grizlaine Chebbak, moving to Spain. We will approach the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League finals match by match, just as we did in 2022. We will treat every game like a final, aiming for a fourth consecutive semi-final, and ultimately, we hope to lift the trophy once again and add it to AS FAR’s legacy.
What does the CAF Women’s Champions League mean to you?
In short, the CAF Women’s Champions League is essential for the development of women’s football in Africa. I hope it expands to include more clubs because many teams, like Ankh Amun of Egypt, Club Akbou of Algeria, and Association Féminine de Sousse, are growing and deserve recognition. This will undoubtedly boost the growth of women’s football across the continent. In Morocco, we have clubs capable of competing at the continental level, and why not dream of seeing two representatives from each country in the finals next season? With a bit of luck, the future looks bright.
Your journey with AS FAR has made you a prominent figure in women’s football. What are your thoughts on the future of the sport in Africa?
Women’s football in Africa is developing rapidly, and we hope that women’s competitions will reach the same level as the men’s. This is crucial not only for the promotion of women’s football on the continent but also for sporting reasons, allowing us to represent Africa on the international stage, particularly at the World Cup. It is vital to be present at this level, as Morocco, Zambia, and South Africa demonstrated at the recent World Cup through strategic initiatives and investments. We must continue in this direction, with the ambition to one day win a world title.
Do you have a final message for AS FAR supporters?
I know our team has many supporters, and I sincerely thank them. I hope they continue to support us. As I often say, it is crucial that they stay by our side during tough times before enjoying the successes, as true fans show their loyalty during difficult periods. This loyalty is a well-known trait of the Royal Moroccan Army supporters, who are a real asset to our team.
