Hassan on brink of Zamalek exit after second league draw

Eslam Omar, Thursday 2 Oct 2014

Zamalek president Mortada Mansour 'disgusted' by recent results; coach Hossam Hassan says he is not to blame

Ibrahim and Hossam Hassan
Zamalek coach Hossam Hassan (R) with Football manger Ibrahim Hassan (L) (Photo: Al-Ahram)

The Zamalek board is to discuss the future of first team coach Hossam Hassan after a series of poor results, the club president has said.

The Cairo-based club, which acquired 17 new players in attempt to end their decade-long championship drought, suffered a second goalless draw of the season against Dakhleya on Wednesday.

They have only five points from a possible nine after a previous 0-0 draw with Ittihad El-Shorta, and a 6-1 win against Talae El-Geish in the league opener.

"I am really worried for the team's future under Hossam Hassan. I don't attend the matches because I am not only disappointed but also disgusted by the team's performance, despite all the board did," club president Mortada Mansour said on Egyptian television on Wednesday.

This is not the first time Mansour has announced the possible dismissal of Hassan, Egypt's all-time leading scorer. He seemed determined to sack him after a surprising Egypt Super Cup defeat by archrivals Ahly in September.

Hossam and his twin, football director Ibrahim Hassan, blamed the players for the team's poor results.

"I played the Dakhleya match with three strikers but nobody scored. Nobody would have led the team better than me," the 48-year-old tactician stated after the game.

Despite inspiring the team to an Egypt Cup trophy, Mansour replaced Ahmed 'Mido' Hossam with Hassan after the former failed to win the league last season.

Hassan failed to correct Mido's mistakes in the African Champions League, crashing out in the group stage following defeats by Vita Club and Sudan's Hilal.

Replacement coaches reportedly under consideration by Zamalek are: Al-Hilal's former Brazilian coach Paulo Campos, Portugal's Paulo Jorge Rebelo Duarte, France's Denis Lavagne and even former Zamalek coach Jorvan Vieira.

 

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