Egypt's Ahly sack Spanish coach Garrido, 3 potential replacements lined up

Mahmoud Elassal , Monday 4 May 2015

The 46-year-old tactician, who signed a two-year contract with the Cairo giants in July 2014, was under fire after the team's elimination from the CAF Champions League and poor results in the Egyptian Premier League

Carlos Garrido
Ahly boss Juan Carlos Garrido (Photo: Ahram)

Ahly have officially terminated the contract of their Spanish coach Juan Carlos Garrido after they were eliminated from the CAF Champions League.

After losing to Moghreb Tetouan of Morocco and exiting the CAF Champions League in the round of 16, Ahly board members officially told the coach his time with the club was over.

"Yesterday, Ahly’s director of football verbally informed me that I will not be continuing as coach," read a statement on Garrido's official website on Monday.

"I am very disappointed to not be able to conclude this project and to deliver this bad news to you," the statement added.

"I will update you once the terms of the conclusion of my contractual relationship have been agreed and I am no longer officially the Ahly coach.

"In the meantime, I would like to thank you all for your messages of support."

The 46-year-old tactician, who signed a two-year contract with the Cairo giants in July 2014, was under fire after the team's elimination from the CAF Champions League and poor results in the Egyptian Premier League.

Although Garrido steered Ahly to the Egyptian Super Cup and African Confederation Cup titles in his first season in charge, he was heavily criticised following some below-par displays in the domestic league.

Ahly's hopes of equalling their own record of winning the league title nine times in a row have been dealt a serious blow as they are third in the table with 46 points, eleven points behind leaders and arch-rivals Zamalek.

Nominated replacements

Ahly board members are currently choosing between three Egyptian coaches to replace Garrido.

The trio is current Olympic team coach Hossam El-Badry, Abdel-Aziz Abdel-Sahfy and Fathi Mabrouk.

El-Badry, who previously worked both as an assistant coach and head coach for the devils, is considered the top candidate for the job, according to hints from EFA member Mahmoud El-Shamy on Monday.

He won the 2009-10 Egyptian Premier League title with Ahly as well as the 2010 Egypt's Super Cup.

"El-Badry agreed to coach Ahly since he wants to terminate his contract with the Egyptian Football Association," El-Shamy told a radio station on Monday.

"He will pay the buy-out clause in contract with the association before he leaves," the EFA member said.

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