Union sportive de la médina d'Alger is a professional football club based in Algiers, Algeria, which plays in Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.This chronological list comprises all those who have held the position of manager of the first team of USM Alger from 1962, when the first professional manager was appointed, to the present day. Each manager's entry includes his dates of tenure and the club's overall competitive record (in terms of matches won, drawn and lost), honours won and significant achievements while under his care. Caretaker managers are included, where known. As of the start of the 2021–22 season, USM Alger have had 61 full-time managers.
After independence USM Alger brought former Nice and Monaco player Abdelaziz Ben Tifour to be a coach and player at the same time, he led the club to win its first Critérium d'Honneur title against MC Alger in a match in which he scored a goal.[1] In the early 1980s, USMA contracted Ali Benfadah, and after seven Algerian Cup finals, it eventually led him to win the first cup in 1981. From the 1986–87 season, the team's son Djamel Keddou became the new coach, with Mustapha Aksouh as his assistant. and despite the lack of experience, weak abilities and a young team, he managed to win the Algerian Cup title in 1988 against CR Belouizdad for the second time in its history.[2] The club then fell into the second division, where he suffered instability at the level of the technical bar and after the advent of Saïd Allik as chairman of the board of directors, and who contracted with the young coach Younes Ifticène to obtain promotion to the first division, which was achieved in the 1994–95 season. Ifticen left USM Alger despite achieving the underlined goal of being replaced by Nour Benzekri who didn't stay long and left because of his disagreement with Azzedine Rahim, where Mustapha Aksouh ended the season and led him to win the first Championship title in 33 years. In the 1997–98 season, Younès Ifticen returned again where he achieved a feat with him in the Champions League and failed to reach the final by a goal difference. In Division 1 USM Alger reached the final against USM El Harrach despite progressing in the result with two goals, but in the last 20 minutes the team conceded three goals, at the end The match was blamed on the coach mostly after taking out the two scorers.
In the 2002–03 season, USM Alger hired a young coach Azzedine Aït Djoudi, who achieved a great feat by winning the league and cup double for the first time in the club's history.[3] And eliminated in the semi-final of the Cup Winners' Cup against Wydad AC. Despite the success, Aït Djoudi did not end his career with the club and left to be replaced by Mourad Abdelouahab, the latter despite the good results and played in the semi-finals of the Champions League, but left while the team was in second place, only to be temporarily replaced by Aksouh until the end of the season and led him to win the Algerian Cup. Once again the start of the season with a new coach, to which Noureddine Saâdi returned, expressing his satisfaction at once again taking over the destinies of the Algiers club for next season. Despite the good results, he left at the end of the match go and the team was in the lead, and Djamel Menad came in his place left after the bad results and elimination of the Confederation Cup, according to Menad his decision is motivated by "personal reasons" which he does not want to spread in the public square. “After careful consideration, I have decided to leave my post. The reasons for this decision I prefer to keep to myself, but know that they have nothing to do with the latest results of the team”.[4] Once again Aksouh finishes the season and wins the championship title with ease. After that, the club entered a void, despite its contract with known coaches like Mustapha Biskri, Rachid Belhout, Abdelkader Amrani and Kamel Mouassa, and even foreigners, namely René Lobello and Oscar Fulloné and this until the end of the era of President Allik.After the vacancy of the coaching position following the departure of Mouassa, Noureddine Saâdi has just formalized his return to the Red and black. Indeed, after an initial contact with President Allik, he led the team until the end of the season despite financial problems, and with the advent of ETRHB Haddad, Saâdi was relieved of his functions to be replaced by the Frenchman Hervé Renard with a clause in his contract allowing him to leave if he is requested by a national selection. With the start of the 2012–13 season, the USMA signed a contract with the Argentinian Miguel Angel Gamondi. and after the poor results he was dismissed from his position and replaced by the former coach of Olympique de Marseille Rolland Courbis as new coach. The goal is to return the club to the track of titles, and with the weakness of USMA's chances of achieving the Ligue 1, its focus has become on the Algerian Cup to reach the Final and in the Algiers Derby, Courbis won the first title in its coaching career, which is the first for USMA in 8 years.[5] A week later won another title, this time the UAFA Club Cup after defeating Al-Arabi SC.[6] Despite the confidence placed by the administration in Corbis, he decided to leave and terminated his contract in agreement with USMA. A month later Courbis joined his former club Montpellier. Hubert Velud has become the new coach of USM Alger replacing his compatriot Courbis, last season's champion with ES Setif until the end of the season, with the possibility of extending him in the event of good results.[7] Velud won his first title in the Super Cup against ES Setif.[8] the start in Ligue 1 was more than wonderful as USM Alger did not lose in any match until the end of Season Sixteen victory, including eight consecutive to win the Ligue 1 easily, it is his second title this season. After a series of bad results and from 15 matches he won in only five, USM Alger decided to dismiss Velud, although his career was successful during which he achieved two titles in a year and a half.[9]
After the departure of the French coaches Rolland Courbis and Hubert Velud, USM Alger signed a contract with the German Otto Pfister and due to the poor results he was removed from his position. At the end of the season, the club started looking for a new coach where they tried to sign Djamel Belmadi, but the latter refused. USM Alger have decided to put their faith in assistant coach Miloud Hamdi, who succeeded what others failed by taking the club to the 2015 CAF Champions League Final for the first time in its history. Hamdi showed great abilities despite having doubts about his abilities, and concluded the season with the Ligue 1 title, and despite this, at the end of the season he left. On August 5, 2020, USM Alger officially announced François Ciccolini as the club's new coach, and its technical staff will be Benaraibi Bouziane as first assistant, former international Mohamed Benhamou as goalkeeping coach, Nicolas Baup as physical trainer and Sylvain Matrisciano as coach of the under-21s.[10] After losing the Super Cup final, USM Alger decided to sack Ciccolini from his position because he had not made it to the podium to receive the medal, which was considered as an insult to an official body that was Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad.[11] On 5 December, 2020 USMA agreed with former club coach Thierry Froger to lead the first team for one season after a consultation with Antar Yahia and some lead players.[12] On 7 March, 2021 due to the poor results Froger and his assistant Bouziane were sacked and replaced by the former coach last season Mounir Zeghdoud.[13] Achour Djelloul reveals that Denis Lavagne will be the new coach of Soustara's, Azzedine Rahim as assistant and Lounès Gaouaoui as goalkeepers coach.[14] On December 25, 2021 USM Alger decided to terminate the contract with Lavagne due to poor results.[15] Hocine Achiou the sporting director stated that they will not rush to sign a new coach, who should be worthy of the club's philosophy, Lavagne asked for 198,000 euros after unilateral termination of the contract or to go to FIFA, interim coach Azzedine Rahim stated that he does not want to burn the stages and in order to be a head coach you must go through several stages. After the end of the first stage led by a temporary coach for more than a month, USM Alger contracted with Serbian Zlatko Krmpotić with Moroccan assistant Djamil Ben Ouahi, Krmpotić who has coached several clubs in Africa, will sign a 6-month contract and could be renewed in the event of a place in the league standings at the end of the season.[16]
On April 18, 2022 after the defeat against MC Oran, Krmpotić was dismissed from his position and USM Alger decided to rely on his assistant Djamil Ben Ouahi to complete the season.[17] His start was good as Benouahi led the club to its first victory after two months, after which in the Algiers Derby, Benouahi achieved an important and unexpected victory that allows the club to search for a continental participation, and after the fifth win in a row Benouahi stated that he wishes to stay in the club, but the decision is up to them and that he has become a fan of this team. On July 6, 2022, Benouahi extended his contract for another year to remain the head coach for the new season.[18] USM Alger delegation expected to move to Antalya, Turkey, to take a 14-day preparatory training for the start of the season. But on the day of travel coach Jamil Benouahi and some players refused to travel because of their financial dues, immediately after that USM Alger administration decided to dismiss the coach from his position.[19] [20] The next day 14 players, fitness coach Kamel Boudjenane and goalkeeping coach Lounès Gaouaoui signed a document that refused to dismiss Benouahi and demanded the departure of some of those in the administration and the assistant coach Sofiane Benkhelifa who was appointed by the administration.[21]
On August 4, 2022, USMA contracted with Boualem Charef to be the new coach with his staff. On November 7, 2022 USM Alger announced to the public opinion that it had settled the case of coach Denis Lavagne by paying the full financial dues he demanded through "FIFA", USMA considered that the case of Lavane is from the "past", and this file was finally closed after transferring the funds to his account within the legal deadlines set by the "FIFA".[22] Boualem Charef received a lot of criticism from USMA supporters because of the performance, which did not convince them. Charef stated that the players do not have consistency between them and he does not have enough time to gather them all because of the Algeria A' national team that was preparing for the CHAN 2022, Where was the coach Madjid Bougherra summoning 9 players for evry preparatory internship.[23] On December 25, 2022, USM Alger terminated the contract with Charef, with three months compensation, and contracted with Abdelhak Benchikha as a new coach for a year and a half.[24] [25] In the CAF Confederation Cup final against Young Africans, Benchikha managed to win his first title in Algeria and the first continental title in the history of USM Alger.[26]
On 16 July 2023, Benchikha announced after the end of the Ligue 1 that he would remain in the club despite the offers he had received from clubs outside the country.[27] [28] On September 15, Benchikha won the CAF Super Cup title for the second time in a row after winning against Al Ahly, it is the second African title that he presented to USM Alger in three months.[29] [30] On October 9, 2023, Abdelhak Benchikha submitted his resignation from his position, according to the official page on Facebook. The reason was that he was subjected to insults at the entrance to the Omar Hamadi Stadium.[31] Later via video, Benchikha denied this and said that he resigned for sporting and professional reasons.[32] Sid Ahmed Arab declared his rejection of his resignation and despite the CEO of Groupe SERPORT moving to his home, Benchikha insisted on his decision.
On October 17, 2023, Juan Carlos Garrido was appointed new coach in USM Alger for one season. The Usmist management set its sights on Garrido for his experience, particularly in North Africa.[33] In the case of Tumisang Orebonye, Garrido was accused him for his lack of commitment and enthusiasm in the job. The Spaniard accused his player of cheating, by faking fictitious injuries in order not to take part in matches.[34] After the departure of Juan Carlos Garrido, USM Alger studied several avenues to find the successor of the Spanish technician.[35] [36] In an official press release on July 13, 2024, USM Alger announced the signing of Tunisian coach Nabil Maâloul a contract of two seasons, Maâloul who has extensive experience in Africa will now have his first experience in Algeria.[35] [36]
Below is a list of USM Alger coaches from 1962 until the present day.
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Information correct as of 14 June 2024. Only competitive matches are counted.
| Caretaker manager |
| Name | From | To | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younès Ifticen | August 1994 | July 1995 | 33 | 20 | 11 | 2 | |
| Younès Ifticen | August 1997 | July 1998 | 30 | 15 | 10 | 5 | |
| Rabah Saâdane | October 1999 | April 2000 | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | |
| Mustapha Heddane | April 2000 | 14 September 2000 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Noureddine Saâdi | 21 September 2000 | 24 March 2002 | 56 | 34 | 14 | 8 | |
| Ali Fergani | 28 March 2002 | December 2002 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 4 | |
| Azzedine Aït Djoudi | January 2003 | August 2003 | 26 | 15 | 6 | 5 | |
| Mourad Abdelouahab | August 2003 | April 2004 | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | |
| Mustapha Aksouh* | April 2004 | 31 June 2004 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | |
| Noureddine Saâdi | 15 July 2004 | 31 January 2005 | 25 | 16 | 3 | 6 | |
| Djamel Menad | January 2005 | 16 May 2005 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | |
| Mustapha Aksouh* | April 2005 | 23 October 2005 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | |
| Mustapha Biskri | 24 October 2005[37] | June 2006 | 34 | 22 | 6 | 6 | |
 René Lobello | 29 July 2006[38] | 24 February 2007[39] | 27 | 13 | 5 | 9 | |
| Rachid Belhout | 24 February 2007 | June 2007 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |
| Abdelkader Amrani | August 2007 | November 2007 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mustapha Aksouh* | November 2007 | November 2007 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Ali Fergani | 25 December 2007[40] | 4 March 2008[41] | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | |
| Mustapha Aksouh* | 4 March 2008 | April 2008 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
 Oscar Fulloné | 14 July 2008[42] | 17 January 2009[43] | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | |
| Kamel Mouassa | 19 January 2009[44] | August 2009 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| Noureddine Saâdi | 26 August 2009[45] | 13 December 2010[46] | 45 | 20 | 14 | 11 | |
| Mohamed Mekhazni* | 13 December 2010 | 21 January 2011 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Hervé Renard | 21 January 2011[47] | 23 October 2011[48] | 23 | 9 | 8 | 6 | |
| Billel Dziri* | 24 October 2011 | 9 November 2011 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Didier Ollé-Nicolle | 7 November 2011[49] | 10 February 2012 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | |
| Meziane Ighil | 10 February 2012[50] | 31 May 2012 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | |
| Miguel Angel Gamondi | 9 July 2012[51] | 17 October 2012 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Rolland Courbis | 22 October 2012[52] | 25 October 2013 | 48 | 28 | 12 | 8 | |
| Hubert Velud | 2 November 2013 | 5 February 2015 | 43 | 25 | 11 | 7 | |
| Billel Dziri* | 5 February 2015 | 19 February 2015 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Otto Pfister | 19 February 2015[53] | 18 May 2015[54] | 14 | 3 | 8 | 3 | |
| Mounir Zeghdoud* Mahieddine Meftah* | 19 May 2015[55] | 1 July 2015 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Miloud Hamdi | 1 July 2015 | 5 June 2016 | 41 | 23 | 8 | 10 | |
 Adel Amrouche | 27 June 2016[56] | 17 August 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Jean-Michel Cavalli | 17 August 2016[57] | 30 October 2016 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mustapha Aksouh* | 30 October 2016 | 5 November 2016 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Paul Put | 6 November 2016[58] | 11 November 2017[59] | 37 | 14 | 14 | 9 | |
| Miloud Hamdi | 12 November 2017[60] | 19 May 2018 | 21 | 9 | 7 | 5 | |
| Thierry Froger | 19 June 2018[61] | 14 March 2019[62] | 36 | 19 | 7 | 10 | |
| Lamine Kebir* | 23 March 2019[63] | 26 May 2019 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Billel Dziri | 24 June 2019[64] | 26 February 2020[65] | 31 | 13 | 7 | 11 | |
| Farid Zemiti * | 27 February 2020 | 2 March 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Mounir Zeghdoud | 3 March 2020[66] | 5 August 2020 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| François Ciccolini | 5 August 2020 | 22 November 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Benaraibi Bouziane * | 23 November 2020[67] | 12 December 2020 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Thierry Froger | 13 December 2020 | 7 March 2021[68] | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | |
| Mounir Zeghdoud | 8 March 2021 | 24 August 2021 | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | |
| Denis Lavagne | 25 August 2021[69] | 24 December 2021[70] | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| Azzedine Rahim * | 24 December 2021 | 9 February 2022 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | |
 Zlatko Krmpotić | 9 February 2022 | 18 April 2022 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | |
 Jamil Benouahi * | 18 April 2022 | 17 June 2022 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | |
| Jamil Benouahi | 6 July 2022[71] | 3 August 2022[72] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boualem Charef | 4 August 2022[73] | 25 December 2022 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | |
| Abdelhak Benchikha | 25 December 2022 | 9 October 2023 | 35 | 12 | 9 | 14 | |
| Farid Zemiti * | 9 October 2023 | 17 October 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
 Juan Carlos Garrido | 17 October 2023[74] | 14 June 2024 | 40 | 23 | 6 | 11 | |
 Nabil Maâloul | 13 July 2024 | ||||||
| Name | style= class="sortable" | L1 | AC | style= class="sortable" | SC | style= class="sortable" | CAF | UAFA | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mustapha Aksouh | 2 | 2 | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | 5 | ||
| 2 | 1 | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 2 | ||
| align=center | - | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | 2 | |||
| 1 | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 2 | |||
| 1 | align=center | - | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | 2 | |||
| 1 | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 2 | |||
| align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 2 | align=center | - | 2 | ||
| 8 | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | |
| 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | ||
| Lamine Kebir | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | |
| Nour Benzekri | align=center | - | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | |
| 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | ||
| align=center | - | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | ||
| align=center | - | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | ||
| align=center | - | 1 | align=center | - | align=center | - | align=center | - | 1 | ||
| Manager | Period | G | W | D | L | Win % | Honours | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996 – 1997, 2000 – 2002 2004 – 2005, 2009 – 2010 | 133 | 75 | 33 | 25 | 1 Ligue Professionnelle 1 1 Algerian Cup | |||
| 2 | 1962 – 1965, 1967 – 1968 | 121 | 67 | 23 | 31 | 1 Ligue Professionnelle 1 | |||
| 3 | 1986 – 1989, 1990 | 108 | 47 | 33 | 28 | 1 Algerian Cup | |||
| 4 | 1994 – 1995, 1997 – 1998 | 63 | 35 | 21 | 7 | ||||
| 5 | 2015 – 2016, 2017 – 2018 | 62 | 32 | 15 | 15 | 1 Ligue Professionnelle 1 | |||
| 6 | 2012 – 2013 | 48 | 28 | 12 | 8 | 1 Algerian Cup 1 UAFA Club Championship | |||
| 7 | 2018 – 2019, 2020 – 2021 | 48 | 25 | 8 | 15 | ||||
| 8 | 2013 – 2015 | 43 | 25 | 11 | 7 | 1 Ligue Professionnelle 1 1 Algerian Super Cup | |||
| 9 | 2004, 2005, 2007 2008, 2016 | 41 | 20 | 10 | 11 | 2 Ligue Professionnelle 1 2 Algerian Cup 1 Algerian Super Cup --> |