Youssef Safri (, born 3 January 1977) is a Moroccan football coach and former player.
Club career Safri started his youth career at Rachad Bernoussi. The following year, he was promoted to the senior squad. He was a midfielder best known for his passing and tackling ability.
In August 2001, he joined Coventry City where he played until 2004, scoring once against Sheffield Wednesday. In December 2003, he had come under fire after breaking the leg of Sunderland player Colin Healy. The next season, he joined Norwich City for an initial fee of £500,000 in the summer of 2004, after the Canaries had been promoted to the Premier League.
Safri became popular among the Norwich fans towards the end of the 2004–05 campaign and during the 2005–06 season following a series of impressive performances. He scored a 40-yard strike against Shay Given of Newcastle United in April 2005 during the team's fight against relegation from the Premiership. Safri was linked with a move to Feyenoord in the summer of 2005, but stayed at Carrow Road.
Following the 3–1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle in September 2006, Safri and teammate Dickson Etuhu were reported to have traded punches on the team bus during their return journey to East Anglia, although these reports are now thought to have been discredited. After Peter Grant was appointed Norwich manager in October 2006, Safri was not a regular selection. There was speculation that he would leave the club in January 2007, fuelled by his comments in the Eastern Daily Press on 29 December 2006 in which Safri indicated that he would seek a transfer if Grant continued to use him as a substitute. Safri remained at Carrow Road until the end of the 2006–07 season, but after falling out with manager Peter Grant, Grant stated in the press on 1 August that Safri would not play for the club again.
On 2 August 2007 he signed for Norwich's championship rivals Southampton on a two-year contract for a fee rumoured to be of the order of £250,000. On 24 October 2007 he was sent off in the 90th minute of Southampton's away defeat to Bristol City, for a heavy tackle on Lee Johnson, whose subsequent reaction to Safri pushing him by all accounts was exaggerated, resulting in a straight Red.
On 7 July 2008 he joined Qatar Sports Club in a £300,000 transfer.
International career Safri was a key player with the Moroccan national team during the 2004 African Nations Cup, and was a member of the national squad competing at 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Safri qualified to play for Scotland through a maternal grandparent, but decided to play for his native Morocco, stating concerns about the Scottish weather.
Coaching career At the end of 2013 season he retired and started a role of assisting coach in his first club Raja CA. In the following 2015–16 season, he was assistant manager of Jamal Sellami at Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi.
In May 2018, Safri returned to Raja, again as assistant manager, this time under manager Juan Carlos Garrido.Raja: Youssef Safri nommé entraîneur adjoint de Garrido , sport24info.ma, 4 May 2018 Garrido was sacked on 28 January 2019, and Safri was appointed caretaker manager.Raja Casablanca sacks head coach Carlos Garrido, yabiladi.com, 29 January 2019 It lasted for two days, before Patrice Carteron was appointed. Safri however, left the club on 12 June 2019.Officiel: Safri quitte le Raja , sport24info.ma, 12 June 2019 In November 2019, Safri returned to Raja CA. Coached Islam Under-17s to a league title in 2017-18 and won Manager of the season.Sellami et Safri au Raja, un come-back programmé ?, telquel.ma, 13 November 2019
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsCoventry City2001–02Championship3310020—3512002–03Championship2700020—2902003–04Championship3101020—340Total911106000981Norwich City2004–05Premier League1810021—2022005–06Championship3010020—3212006–07Championship3514010—401Total833405100924Southampton2007–08Championship3701010—390Qatar SC2008–09Qatar Stars League223Unknown2232009–10Qatar Stars League1701702010–11Qatar Stars League1921922011–12Qatar Stars League1501502012–13Qatar Stars League173173Total908000000908Career total30112601210031913
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsMorocco199910200080200112020029120034020041022005412006702007502008145200950Total799
Scores and results list Morocco's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Safri goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Youssef SafriNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco3–05–02004 African Cup of Nations qualification2Sousse Olympic Stadium, Sousse, Tunisia1–11–12004 African Cup of Nations3Chichiri Stadium, Blantyre, Malawi1–01–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification4Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco1–14–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification5Nouakchott Olympic Stadium, Nouakchott, Mauritania3–04–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification6Amahoro Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda1–21–32010 FIFA World Cup qualification7Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco1–02–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification8Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco2–13–1Friendly9Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco1–04–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
Honours Raja CA Moroccan League: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 CAF Champions League: 1999 CAF Super Cup: 2000
Qatar SC Qatar Crown Prince Cup: 2009
Morocco Africa Cup of Nations runner-up:2004
References
External links Youssef Safri player profile at saintsfc.co.uk Youssef Safri player profile at canaries.co.uk
BBC Sport – Safri signs for Southampton