Egyptian Premier League teams guide

From Ahly to Zamalek (in alphabetical order), Ahram Online provides a team-by-team guide for the 2013-14 Egyptian Premier League season that kicks off on Tuesday

AHLY
Ahly have been the reigning champions for almost a decade now. The Red Devils had an amazing run of seven consecutive titles before the competition was cancelled for two straight years due to political instability. It was a golden era for the Cairo giants, who were inspired by players such as Mohamed Abou-Treika, Mohamed Barakat, Hossam Ghaly and Emad Meteb, winning titles at will. With most of their golden generation gone or way past their prime, Ahly have lost their pace and despite winning a record-extending eighth champions league title, they need to rebuild their squad to stay on top and continue collecting trophies.
League titles: 36
Coach: Mohamed Youssef
Key players: Ahmed Fathi, Walid Soliman, Emad Meteb
ARAB CONTRACTORS
Arab Contractors, one of Egypt's most famous clubs, are struggling to replicate their heroics of the past. They won three African Cup Winners Cups in the 1980s and 1990s but have been stumbling during the past two decades. Contractors, who won the league once in 1983, are known for nurturing young talents such as Mohamed Salah, who is currently playing for Swiss side Basel.
League titles: 1
Coach: Mohamed Radwan
Key players: Mohamed Fadl, Bassem Aly, Tigana Shamselden (Nigeria)
BENI SUEF TELEPHONES
The club, which is owned by landline monopoly Telecom Egypt, were on the verge of dissolving the football team in June due to mounting financial difficulties following the cancellation of last season's Premier League. They eventually survived, but their experienced coach Talaat Youssef left his post, making way for the little-known Ahmed Shaaban. They finished fourth in Group A of last season's competition before it was cancelled.
Best league position: Promoted in 2011
Coach: Ahmed Shaaban
Key players: Mohamed Reda, Alaa Ali, Marc Mboa (Cameroon)
DAKHLEYA
Dakhleya are one of two clubs owned by Egypt's Interior Ministry. Unlike Ittihad El-Shorta, their sister club, they don't have a strong financial backing and they have been fighting relegation since their promotion to the Premier League in 2011. However some players have already established themselves such as Egyptian international winger Ahmed Temsah and Guinean midfielder Lama Kone. Dakhleya are still likely to battle relegation though, given their limited resources.
Best league position: Promoted in 2011
Coach: Alaa Abdel-Aal
Key players: Ahmed Temsah, Ahmed Samir, Lama Kone (Guinea)
ENPPI
ENPPI, owned by a famous petroleum company, have proved a stiff opponent to big guns since sealing Premier League promotion back in the 2002-03 season. The rich club have been forced to curb their spending since the 2011 January revolution but still remain as one of the league's strongest teams. ENPPI usually pose a serious challenge for top contenders Ahly and Zamalek. They reached the final four-team playoff last season before the competition was cancelled and they are likely to secure a top-four spot again this term.
Best league position: 3rd
Coach: Mohamed Helmy
Key players: Vincent Di Foneye (Ivory Coast), Adel Mostafa, Saleh Gomaa
El-Entag El-Harby
El-Entag El-Harby is a Cairo-based football club that is owned by the Egyptian ministry for military production. They have made a fine impact in the top flight since earning Premier League promotion in 2009. El-Entag have made a host of changes to the squad in the off-season, signing ten players including Ahly's islam Hassan, Abdullah Abdel-Azim and Petrojet's Ahmed Shaaban.
Best league position: 7th
Coach: Ismail Youssef
Key players: Mahmoud El-Nadi, Yaro Kwabena (Ghana), Ahmed Omran
GOUNA
The coastal team, who are based in the Red Sea resort of Gouna, were forced to sell many of their players in order to reduce their bills. According to board member Ahmed El-Sehefy, they cut their budget of salaries from LE40 million to LE 15million. German coach Rainer Zobel insisted on keeping key African duo Minisu Buba of Nigeria and Ghanaian midfielder Samuel Ocran. It will be a big challenge for them to survive in the top flight.
Best league position: 11th
Coach: Rainer Zobel (Germany)
Key players: Minisu Buba (Nigeria), Samuel Ocran (Ghana), Hussein Ali
GHAZL EL-MAHALLA
Ghazl El-Mahalla are one of the oldest Egyptian clubs who made 44 Premier League appearances. The club were fortunate to escape relegation last season after finishing at the bottom of Group A but the competition was called off following the army's ouster of President Mohamed Morsi.The club will be hoping new coach Farouk Gaafar will turn around their fortunes after a poor run. Gaafar has already brought in some experienced players such as Hossam Arafat and Amr El-Safti and he still hopes he can get more reinforcements when the transfer window reopens in January.
League titles: 1
Coach: Farouk Gafaar
Key players: Hossam Arafat, Amr El-Safti, Samuel Owusu (Ghana)
HARAS EL-HODOUD
Haras El-Hodoud are one of the teams that suffered the most because of the league stoppage. The military outfit had to release many of their key players such as Ahmed Eid, Ahmed Mekki and Eslam Ramadan to stay afloat. The Alexandria-based side have recently failed to reproduce the form that saw them win the Egypt Cup in 2009 and 2010 and the Egyptian Super Cup in 2009. They are also taking a bit of a risk this year after appointing rookie coach Abdel-Hamid Bassiouny as their new boss to lead a young and inexperienced team.
Best league position: 3rd
Coach: Abdel-Hamid Bassiouny
Key players: Moetaz Eno, Ahmed Salem Safi, Abdel-Rahman Farouq
ISMAILY
Ismialy are the third most successful team in Egypt after Ahly and Zamalek. They don't have the same quality and depth of the squads of the Cairo giants but they shouldn't face any troubles reaching the final four-team playoff. Ismaily are led by classy and experienced midfielder Hosni Abd-Rabou who is back home after spending several years in the Arab Gulf. The Dervishes witnessed a significant change in their management as Shawky Gharib left them to take over the Egyptian national team. Assistant coach Ahmed El-Agouz was appointed as the interim coach and he will lead the team during the opening stages.
League titles: 3
Coach: Ahmed El-Agouz
Key players: Hosni Abd-Rabou, Amr El-Sulaya, John Antwi (Ghana)
ITTIHAD OF ALEXANDRIA
Despite enjoying a large fan base in Egypt's second city Alexandria, Ittihad have failed to win any league title since the competitions' inauguration in 1948. They approach the new season amid confusion over who will lead them following the departure of coach Talaat Youssef and Croatian Branko Tucak's rejection of their offer to become the new boss. The Coastal side did not make any notable additions to their squad but their current crop should be good enough to retain their top-flight status.
Best league position: 3rd
Coach: Mounir Oqeil (caretaker)
Key players: Hussein Fahmi, Ahmed Kato, Ayman Ramadan
ITTIHAD EL-SHORTA
Back to the Premier League in 2008 after more than 30 years of absence, the Police-owned team have well established themselves in the top flight. They outshone several traditional contenders to climb to the top half of the table, finishing fourth in 2010. Like most state-backed clubs, Ittihad El-Shorta enjoy financial and administrative stability. They are not expected to spring a surprise this season under the helm of new coach Yasser El-Kenani but they are unlikely to be easy opponents either.
Best league position: 4th
Coach: Yasser El-Kenani
Key players: Khaled Kamar, Abdallah Farouq, Mohamed El-Fayoumi
MAQASSA
The Fayoum-based club are one of the latest additions to Egyptian Football. The club were founded in 1999 and made their way through to the top flight in 2010. They made a good impact and survived in the Premier League, relying on the financial backing of parent company Misr for Central Clearing, Depository and Registry (MCDR). They signed some experienced players from Cairo giants Ahly and Zamalek such as Osama Hosni, Ahmed Raouf, Mohamed Ibrahim and others who can greatly help them next season, although a top-four finish remains farfetched.
Best league position: 6th
Coach: Tareq Yehia
Key players: Fouad Salama, Hussein Hamdi, Sameh Aidaros
MINYA
Menya reached the Premier League after a 15-year absence after topping the second-division group that comprises all Upper Egyptian sides. They will play in the elite competition for the second time in their history, having made their maiden appearance in 1998. However, they are unlikely to make a notable impact in the top flight, given their persistent financial woes.
Best league position: 7th
Coach: Shedid Qenawi
Key players: Amr Othman, Ayman Hassanein
MASRY
They are back in action after opting to skip last season's competition to avoid stirring tensions with fans of Ahly following the 2012 Port Said disaster. Their presence in the league this term had many observers worrying about potential violence, given the animosity between Masry and Ahly. The Egyptian Football Association said that Masry will play all their home and away games in Suez due to safety concerns, which could dent their chances of mounting a serious challenge for a top-four finish.
Best league position: 3rd
Coach: Sabri El-Menyawi
Key players: Ahmed El-Shennawi, Mahmoud Abdel-Hakim, Hossam Hassan
PETROJET
Petrojet have been labeled the Dark Horse of the Egyptian Premier League since their first appearance among the elites in 2006. Owned by a petroleum company, Petrojet's attractive brand of attacking football earned them a permanent spot in the top of half of the table. Experienced coach Mokhtar Mokhtar is back at the helm, having managed Petrojet from 2005 to 2009. He doesn't have the same squad his predecessors had but he still possesses a roster that is good enough to keep his team in the top half.
Best league position: 3rd
Coach: Mokhtar Mokhtar
Key players: Marwan Mohsen, Mohamed Koffi (Burkina Faso), Osama Mohamed
QANAH
Qanah advanced to the top flight for the first time in nine years by virtue of a superior head-to-head record to Cairo-based club Nassr after both finished their playoff group level on 10 points. Qanah, who are based in coastal city Ismailia, will make their 27th Premier League appearance.
Best league position: 3rd
Coach: Ahmed Said
Key players: Mahmoud Samna, Maarouf Yussuf (Burkina Faso)
RAGAA
Ragaa, a little-known club which is based in Marsa Matrouh governorate, close to the Egyptian-Libyan border, will play in the Premier League for the first time in their history after earning promotion in dramatic fashion following a 1-0 victory over Tanta on the last day of a second-division playoff. They were fourth before facing Tanta but capitalised on a slip-up by three of their competitors to finish on top via a better head-to-head record over Tanta after both sides finished level on eight points.
Best league position: Promoted in 2013
Coach: Ayman El-Mozayen
Key players: Taha Ibrahim, Hany Ragab, Islam Fouad
SMOUHA
Smouha took many by surprise after finishing third in Group A of last season's competition, which was later cancelled due to political turmoil, and just two points short of a play-off spot. The Alexandria-based club boast some talented players such as Egyptian international playmaker Ahmed Hammoudi, who is one of the most sought-after players in Egypt. Their squad also includes experienced defenders Moatassem Salem and Ahmed Ouka, who was part of Egypt's squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Best league position: 15th
Coach: Hamada Sedki
Key players: Ahmed Hammoudi, Ahmed Ouka, Moatassem Salem
TALAE EL-GAISH
During the past decade, the military team have consistently delivered some brave displays in the top flight. They don't have the luxury of hiring top class players to compete at the top but their squad still includes players who are capable of at least keeping them above the danger zone. They are famous for their solid defence and counter-attacking abilities that are masterminded by talented playmaker Ayman Hefny and a cluster of pacey strikers such as Salah Amin, Liberian William Jebbor and Togolese Mikael Dodzi.
Best leagye position: 4th
Coach: Emad Soliman
Key players: Salah Amin, Ayman Hefny, William Jebor (Liberia)
WADI DEGLA
Wadi Degla made their greatest achievement a few weeks ago after finishing as runners-up to Egypt Cup winners Zamalek to earn a spot in next season's CAF Confederation Cup. The privately-owned club, who made their Premier League debut in 2010, are led by former Egypt skipper Hani Ramzy who is still seeking to prove himself after some unsuccessful managerial stints. Club owner, businessman Magued Sami, adopts a strict financial policy and he is unlikely to spend big to bolster Degla's squad. However, the team will still be boosted by the signing of one of Egypt's greatest-ever keepers: the 40-year old Essam El-Hadary who returned home after ending his spell with Sudanese side El-Merreikh.
Best league position: 12th
Coach: Hani Ramzy
Key players: Essam Al-Hadary, Ashour El-Taqi, Saladin Said (Ethiopia)
ZAMALEK
The ailing Cairo giants are desperate to end a 10-year league drought, having been outshone by traditional rivals Ahly since winning their last title in 2004. They are buoyed by their recent Egypt Cup triumph but their financial woes threaten to derail their fine run, with several key players threatening to leave in protest at unpaid dues, including winger Mahmoud "Shikabala" Abdel-Razeq. New coach Helmi Toulan will be looking to continue from where his predecessor Jorvan Vieira left off after the Brazilian coach helped Zamalek reach the final playoff after only one defeat last season before the competition was cancelled.
League titles: 11
Coach: Helmi Toulan
Key players: Mahmoud "Shikabala" Abdel-Razeq, Ahmed Eid, Mohamed Ibrahim
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