Wydad Athletic Club have strengthened their backroom structure with a significant boardroom appointment, which could offer manager Rulani Mokwena valuable support.
The Casablanca-based giants have named Hassan Benabicha as their new technical director. According to Casa24, the move is part of Wydad's broader strategy to enhance their technical staff ahead of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
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The club also aims to regain its competitive edge domestically after a disappointing 2023/24 campaign that saw them finish sixth in the Botola Pro 1, missing out on continental qualification.
This underwhelming performance prompted Wydad to entrust Mokwena with the task of rebuilding the team and restoring their former glory. While the South African coach's start in Morocco has faced challenges, Wydad's recent form offers optimism.
Their 1-0 triumph over OC Safi on Friday extended their unbeaten streak to four matches, placing them fourth in the league standings.
With momentum on their side, the club hierarchy will hope the South African tactician can continue this resurgence and push Wydad higher up the table as the season unfolds.
To support this mission, Benabicha's appointment is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening the club's technical framework.
"The Wydad Athletic Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Hassan Benabicha, a son of the club, as Technical Director," read an official statement from the club.
"The club's management expresses its confidence in the competence and experience of the national coach, Hassan Benabicha, to achieve the desired addition and strengthen the role of the technical administration within the club."
During his playing days, Benabicha represented the Moroccan side, coming up through the youth ranks before breaking into the senior team where he stayed until his retirement in 1997.
He then went on to take up the role of sporting director at the club from 2012 to 2014 before returning as a technical director in August 2022.
In December that year, he stepped in as caretaker manager for a month, before parting ways with the club once more.
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With Benabicha's expertise and Mokwena's tactical acumen, Wydad will be aiming to reassert their dominance on the domestic stage and make a mark in the upcoming Club World Cup.