Mahrez Bettache
Football Tacticak and Technical Coach
CAREER OVERVIEW
PLAYING CAREER
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
COACHING CAREER
COACHING PHILOSOPHY
Mahrez, widely known as Maz or “the GaffaMaz,” is a high-performance football coach with a strong background as both a player and coach. Following a successful playing career that included representing Algeria internationally and achieving National League status as a First Team player, Maz has dedicated himself to developing and supporting athletes in the modern game. Since beginning his coaching journey in 2014, he has focused on creating high-performance environments that enable players to unlock their full potential.
Maz spent ten years as an academy graduate at Fulham Football Club, progressing through the youth ranks before going on to represent Algeria at international level. His career continued at senior level, where he achieved National League status as a First Team player. These experiences laid the foundation for his transition into coaching and his deep understanding of the demands of elite football.
Since moving into coaching, Maz has worked extensively with players at all stages of development, offering detailed one-to-one coaching and designing tailored high-performance environments. His methods have helped more than 20 unsigned players secure professional contracts by combining technical and tactical support with placement into the right team environments.
As a UEFA-licensed coach, Maz blends formal learning with practical experience to enhance performance. His work with The FA has given him a strong insight into player and team development, enabling him to design training programmes that are driven by data and analysis. In addition, his FA Talent ID Level 2 qualification allows him to identify and nurture players across the six key capabilities of the modern game.
Maz’s coaching career has also included spells as First Team Head Coach at Vanarama Conference South level, and he has recently been offered a role with Arsenal FC Academy at Hale End, helping to develop the next generation of footballers. Alongside this, he has contributed to high-profile projects such as Rising Ballers, which has helped unsigned players aged 16+ gain professional contracts through showcase matches viewed by more than six million people online.
Through his personal initiative, RarePlayr, Maz offers bespoke one-to-one coaching designed to maximise player potential. Over the years he has built an impressive client base, working with elite players including Harry Kane and Phil Foden.
Maz’s philosophy centres on creating tailored high-performance environments that enable players to thrive. By focusing on the individual’s needs and combining technical, tactical, and analytical insights, he ensures athletes are supported in every aspect of their development. His drive is not only to improve performance but also to provide opportunities, helping players at all levels progress towards their goals in the professional game.