Abdelhak Benchikha

Abdelhak Benchikha (born 22 November 1963) is an Algerian football manager.
Personal life
Benchikha was born on 22 November 1963 in the Soustarah neighborhood of Algiers.
His family is originally from the village of Sidi Abderrahmane in the commune of Timezrit, Boumerdès Province.
Managerial career
Benchikha began his managerial career coach with CR Belouizdad, where he helped win the league title two years in a row, in 2000 and 2001. He then briefly coached MC Alger and the Algerian Under-23 national team before returning to CR Belouizdad in the later part of the 2004–05 season. Benchikha then moved to Qatar and joined Umm-Salal Sports Club, which was playing in the second division. In his only season with the club, he helped it gain promotion to the top flight. The following season, he joined the Tunisian side ES Zarzis.
Club Africain
On 13 June 2007 Benchikha signed a one-year contract with Tunisian side Club Africain. In his first season with the club, he led them to the league title for the first time in 12 years, beating out Etoile du Sahel by just 2 points in the final standings. Just a few months later, he followed that up with a triumph in the 2008 North African Cup of Champions beating Moroccan club FAR Rabat in the final. In March 2009, the club offered him an extension but Benchikha chose to leave the club.
Algeria A'
On 10 June 2009, Benchikha was appointed as coach of the Algeria A' national football team and the Algerian Under-23 national team. He qualified the A' national team to the 2011 African Nations Championship, after beating Libya 2–2 on the away goals rule.
Algeria National Team
On 13 September 2010, Benchikha was appointed as coach of the Algerian national team on a permanent basis, following the resignation Rabah Saâdane. On 5 June 2011, a day after losing 4–0 in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Morocco, Benchikha resigned from his position.
Club-hopping tenure
On 5 October 2011, Benchikha resigned from his position as manager of MC Alger.
On 17 December 2011, Benchikha signed an 18-month contract with Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side Club Africain, returning to the club which he led to the 2008 league title. However, on 20 April 2012, a mutual agreement was reached by the club and Benchikha to terminate his contract.
He later had short spells in different countries, in which he managed Difaâ El Jadidi, Raja Casablanca, IR Tanger, Moghreb Tétouan, Mouloudia Oujda, DH El Jadida and RS Berkane in Morocco, Al-Ittihad Kalba in the United Arab Emirates, ES Sétif in Algeria and Al-Ittihad Tripoli in Libya.
USM Alger
On 25 December 2022, Benchikha contracted with USM Alger for a year and a half succeeding Boualem Charef, with Farid Zamiti assistant and Farid Belmellat coach of the goalkeepers. On 13 March 2023, in the late match against HB Chelghoum Laïd in the Ligue 1, USM Alger supporters in the 37th minute of the second half left the stands in protest against the club administration. After the end of the match Benchikha stated that he did not understand the anger of the supporters and that he Satisfied with the performance of his players, especially since in a month they played eight matches. Benchikha set a goal, which is to win the CAF Confederation Cup, and his career was good, with his experience and the way he treated his players. Benchikha said after the match against ASEC Mimosas in the semi-finals that it is the time to win the CAF Confederation Cup title for the first time.
In the final against Young Africans, Benchikha managed to win his first title in Algeria and the first continental title in the history of USM Alger. After the derby match against CR Belouizdad, Benchikha stated that the players after winning the CAF Confederation Cup went on vacation and that some players decided to leave. Benchikha said that he is comfortable and that if he can compete for titles he will stay or prefer to stay in his home. 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. Benchikha said that he started recruiting and that there were players who agreed with them to sign and others who renewed their contracts. On 15 September 2023, 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. 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. Later via video, Benchikha denied this and said that he resigned for sporting and professional reasons.
Honours
As a manager
CR Belouizdad
Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 1999–2000, 2000–01
Algerian League Cup: 1999–2000
Umm Salal
Qatari Second Division: 2005–06
Club Africain
Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 2007–08
North African Cup of Champions: 2008
Difaâ d'El Jadida
Moroccan Throne Cup: 2013
RS Berkane
CAF Super Cup: 2022
USM Alger
CAF Confederation Cup: 2022–23
CAF Super Cup: 2023
Managerial statistics
References
External links
1963 births
Living people
Kabyle people
People from Bordj Bou Arréridj
Algerian men's footballers
ES Zarzis players
MC Alger players
JS El Biar players
JS Bordj Ménaïel players
Men's association football midfielders
Algerian expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Tunisia
Algerian football managers
MC Alger managers
Algeria national under-23 football team managers
CR Belouizdad managers
CA Bordj Bou Arréridj managers
Umm Salal SC managers
ES Zarzis managers
Club Africain football managers
Algeria national football team managers
Raja CA managers
Al-Ittihad Kalba SC managers
IR Tanger managers
MA Tétouan managers
ES Sétif managers
Al-Ittihad Tripoli managers
MC Oujda managers
Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi managers
RS Berkane managers
USM Alger managers
Algerian expatriate football managers
Expatriate football managers in Qatar
Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
Expatriate football managers in Tunisia
Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Tunisia
Expatriate football managers in the United Arab Emirates
Algerian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates
Expatriate football managers in Morocco
Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Morocco
Expatriate football managers in Libya
Algerian expatriate sportspeople in Libya
21st-century Algerian people
Botola managers