Members News: Former CCFC Moroccan International Midfielder Is 48 Today. ‘Happy Birthday’, Youssef

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Youssef Safri in the Sky Blue

Back in June 2021 we announced the Association’s third signing of a Moroccan international when we welcomed Youssef Safri to CCFPA. Now it is our pleasure to celebrate with Youssef his 48th birthday! His North African compatriots are Youssef Chippo and Mustapha Hadji and all three have been well capped for their country.

Born in Casablanca, Morocco on 13th January 1977 (not the 3rd reported elsewhere) Youssef started his youth career at Rachad Bernoussi by 1995 and was promoted to the Raja Casablanca senior squad in 1996. Becoming known as a skilful passer but also a no nonsense ball winner the midfielder joined (now fellow CCFPA member) Gordon Strachan‘s Sky Blues in 2001 for a reported fee of £700k the season after CCFC had been relegated from the top flight after 34 years. He made his Division One debut off the bench in the 1-0 home defeat to Grimsby Town on the 8th September 2001 in WGS‘s last game before he was sacked and made his full debut at No.8 in the following game, with Roland Nilsson now in the ‘gaffer’s chair) a week later in a 1-0 win at Sheffield United. His only Sky Blue goal came in the 39th minute of a 2-0 home win against Sheffield Wednesday on 27th October 2001.

David Thompson celebrayes Safri’s only Sky Blue goal with Youssef

Youssef in
Moroccan colours

He was already an established Morocco international when he joined the Sky Blues and between 2000-09 won 77 caps for his country and contributed nine goals. He was particularly a key player with his national team during the 2004 African Cup of Nations when Morocco grabbed runners up spot. Earlier he was also a member of the national squad competing at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championships and the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympic Games.

Several Sky Blue managers later (Gary McAllister, Eric Black and at the time Peter Reid) Youssef was sold to Norwich City for £750k in summer 2004 after the Canaries’ promotion to the Premier League. At Carrow Road he was a popular and regular member of the side until Peter Grant became manager when, after their relationship soured, Youssef left East Anglia for the Canaries’ Championship rivals Southampton in August 2007. With the Canaries he scored four goals in 92 appearances and for the Saints failed to find the net in 39 games.

Youseff in Sky Blue action

In July 2008 Youssef joined the Qatar Sports Club for a £300k fee and stayed with the middle east club until the end of the 2012-2013 season hanging up his boots to go into coaching with eight goals in his ninety appearances. Returning home he started out by becoming assistant manager at the home town club where he started out Raja Casablanca for 2014-15 and resumed there in 2018-19 after spending 2015-16 as assistant ‘gaffer’ at Jamal Sellami (at Difaa Hassani El Jadidi) and 2017 as coach of Islam U17s. With Casablanca, he stepped up briefly to caretaker in January 2019 when their manager was sacked but left the club again in June only to return yet again in November 2019 as assistant. In October 2021 Youssef joined previous club Qatar SC as their new manager (below) but left the club in October 2023.

Youssef signs for Qatar Sports Club as ‘gaffer’ Oct.2021

If it is at all possible in the future for him to make it over here, we would love to entertain Youssef in Coventry at a Sky Blues home match or Association event at the CBS Arena this coming season. In the meantime we wish him ‘Many Happy Returns of the Day’!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.

 

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