with the club would see him have a tumultuous relationship with the senior players, particularly French international player Bixente Lizarazu. A fifth-place finish at the end of the season saw Troussier replaced by Jean Fernandez. He returned to Africa and became the head coach of the Moroccan national team, having taken over after the country's failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. However, he was fired after two months in charge by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation due to a difference in opinion. Return to Asia In March 2008, he returned to Japan to manage FC Ryūkyū a Japanese third-division team, before he was replaced by compatriot Jean Paul Rabier. Troussier would stay away from football and converted to Islam On 22 February 2010, he returned to management with Chinese Super League side Shenzhen Ruby F.C. on a three-year contract. He would once again enforce a youthful team selection; however this would relegate the team, making them the first top-tier champions to be relegated since the foundation of professional football in China. He would remain with the club while they were in the second tier; however after mounting criticism he would alienate himself from the fans after the fourth-round league match versus Chongqing F.C. when in a local TV interview Troussier fired out against criticism and doubt from fans and urged them "not to come to the game or him". Shenzhen Ruby won the match, however former players who were forced to leave by Troussier in his efforts to force youth into the team Li Fei and Chris Killen scored for Chongqing F.C. in their first return to Shenzhen and physical confrontations took place after the match among fans, staffs, players and even Troussier himself. He further alienated his relationships with the squad and staff on 25 August after a defeat to Chengdu Tiancheng F.C. saw the club's hopes of promotion vanish and he provided a statement that he would take leave back to France on a "regular holiday under his contract". The club's supporters would believe the board sent him on leave hoping that the indignity would see him resign rather than compensating him the 1 million euros per year in his contract. He returned from his holiday and managed the club throughout the 2013 Chinese league season, where he was unable to gain promotion. Troussier is widely believed to be the first-choice replacement as coach of the