Salim Arrache has been a free agent since being released by Qadsia in 2011 Israeli football club, Ashdod, has cut off all contact with Algerian midfielder Salim Arrache after giving him a trial. According to reports in the Israeli media, the 30-year old failed to impressduring his trial and the Dolphins\' management turned down the chance to sign him.
It is believed that Arrache and three African players trained with Ashdod\'s first team, but the management of the club decided not to sign any of them.
On the Israeli website, One News, Ashdod coach Yossi Mizrahi is quoted as saying that his team needs players \"who are able to make a difference,\" noting that none of the four players, including Arrache, performed well.
Arrache’s decision to go on trial in Israel angered fans both within and outside Algeria. Some of the Algerian media even called for the player\'s nationality to be withdrawn and for him to be banned from entering the country.
Arab journalist Said Hassanein, a resident of Israel, said that \"Ashdod\'s decision to contact Arrache also annoyed their fans,\" adding that \"the club’s fans held the opinion that a player of Arrache\'s standard is not good enough to play for a team competing among the top four clubs in the Israeli league.\"
Hassanein explained that the reason behind the fans refusing Arrache\'s arrival is not just his playing ability, but also to do with the Israeli public\'s hatred for Arabs players. He added that \"the approval of the Algerian player to wear the Israeli shirt provoked shock and dismay among the Arabs living inside Israel.\"
Hassanein was surprised by the player\'s acceptance of Ashdod\'s invitation considering \"hundreds of foreign players have adopted a hostile and anti-Israel attitude because of the country\'s policy toward the Palestinian people,\" but he acknowledged that \"Arrache only represents himself and not the Algerian people who are known to be supporters the Palestinian cause.\"
The journalist pointed out that the Israeli press attacked another Algerian player in Rafik Halliche, just a few weeks ago, after he refused to accompany his team to Israel for an official match in the UEFA Europa league.