Merouane Zemmama speaks on Hibs move, scoring against Hearts, and his new coaching career

“Ooh, Zemmama; ooh, Zemmama; ooh, Zemmama!” The chant was often heard ringing around Easter Road during the 2006/07 season as Moroccan playmaker Merouane Zemmama dazzled opponents and Hibs fans alike with his performances in green and white.

Merouane Zemmama contributed 11 goals and 16 assists in 77 games for Hibs

Zemmama joined Hibs in 2006, spending close to five years as a fans’ favourite, and recently appeared on the Hibee Buzz podcast to discuss his time in the Capital.

The 38-year-old is in the early stages of his coaching career after a 16-year stint as a player, having recently joined Prestigia Football Club in his homeland where he trains some of the club’s youth sides.

"Hibs gave me the opportunity to play at a high level against big teams,” he said. “I’m really happy with the way I played in Scotland and the fans were always great with me.

Celebrating a goal with compatriot Abdessalam Benjelloun

"I just started coaching this year – I'm also coaching my kids with the Under-15 and Under-11 teams so it’s great to start my coaching career with my kids.

"It’s a new experience but I’m hoping to do well,” he added. "It’s nice being able to teach the young lads and help them develop an attitude that will help them have a good career in the future.”

Zemmama arrived in Edinburgh as a free agent, joining compatriot Abdessalam Benjelloun in the Capital after spells with clubs in Morocco and Qatar.

Explaining how the move came about, he said: “I think once I knew Benji was there I sent my CV and a few highlights. Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus saw it and were interested and they spoke with Raja Casablanca to see about getting me a trial.

Zemmama congratulates Benji on the first of his two goals in the League Cup final

"But Raja refused and told Hibs, ‘you must buy the player without any trial’. I kept in touch with Hibs and eventually went to Edinburgh, had a couple of training sessions with the group, and after that I signed.”

Zemmama had already moved away from hometown side Salé in his teens to join Raja, roughly 100km away, and later had a loan stint in Doha with Qatar SC.

“I’d been with Raja since I was 14 or 15 so I already had that experience of leaving my hometown and my family, and they helped me make the decision to join Hibs,” he continued.

"Benji was there too so it was easier for me to integrate with the group, and I think I settled quicker. I’d also spent time in Qatar so I didn’t find many issues adjusting to a new group. It was a good start with Hibs and one of the best times in my career.”

Becoming acquainted with some Hearts fans at Tynecastle

Swapping Morocco for Scotland may have been a bit of a shock to Zemmama – both in terms of culture and temperature – but the former Morocco internationalist insisted he was fully prepared for the change.

"I was ready for the challenge because at that time I had a lot of motivation to make the next move in my career but there was a bit of an issue with the club because when I went to Qatar, they wanted me to stay with them but there was a disagreement over some money.

“In Scotland it was a strong league so I was happy to start a new challenge there with a lot of good players around me. We had a really good team with young players as well as quality and power so we beat Celtic, Rangers, we had a really good start.”

Soon after his arrival Zemmama lived with Benji in the city’s Albion Gardens, just a stone’s throw from the stadium, and the pair spent their downtime exploring Edinburgh together. The forward also helped his countryman settle in.

"After training we would watch TV together or go out, but it was good to have someone to speak to after training or after a big session. Whether it was training, games, or away from the pitch it was great to have Benji there with me.”

Winning the League Cup with Hibs is not something many players have done – the club has lifted the trophy just three times since 1946 – but Zemmama was part of the team that blew Kilmarnock away 5-1 in the final of the 2006/07 competition, and understandably the occasion is up there among his best memories at Hibs.

"Scoring my first goal against Hearts… I know what the derby means for the fans and the club, it’s one of the best games of the season, so it was great to start with that goal.

"The fans were always behind me and sang my name and I liked the big games against Hearts, and Celtic, and Rangers too.

"Winning the cup as well, and beating Hearts in the quarter-final at home on the way was great too,” he added.

"In Casablanca we have a big derby as well, almost 80,000 fans in the stadium so I had experience of that before coming to Hibs. I won three cups with Raja Casablanca and the league so I had experienced big games and atmospheres and that really helped me when I came to Hibs.

"For me, Hibs was the best club I played for. Maybe I should have played more than I did but that’s destiny, and we did win the League Cup.

"It was a great time at Hibs and I will never forget what they did for me.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our sports coverage with a digital sports subscription.