Sporting Lisbon move marks Shikabala's last chance to live up to potential

Shikabala given a golden opportunity to revive his faltering career after making a surprise move to one of Portugal's leading club

Egypt's maverick forward Mahmoud ‘Shikabala' Abdel-Razeq has one last chance to live up to his potential and give himself a new lease of life after Sporting Lisbon moved to pull him out of the doldrums at Cairo's cash-strapped club Zamalek.
Shikabala, a product of Zamalek's youth academy, came across as a promising youngster with immense talent but has never really made his mark, thanks to a series of disciplinary problems that marred his career and left him far behind his peers, many of whom did not boast his trickery.
He was accused of feigning injury more than once with the Egyptian national team and was repeatedly embroiled in Cairo derby controversies, with his heated exchanges with the fans of Zamalek's city rivals Ahly dominating headlines.
Shikabala appeared to go into a free fall last year when an unsuccessful loan spell with United Arab Emirates club Al-Wasl was cut short and Zamalek struggled to pay him his wages when he returned home.
The 27-year-old consequently abandoned training and, given his age, the possibility of him joining a prestigious European club looked far-fetched.
But Sporting Lisbon made the unlikely move, signing him on a four-and-a-half year deal after some protracted negotiations that were on the verge of collapse shortly before the closure of the January transfer window.
“Shikabala has a huge talent but he is a source of problems,” Manuel Jose, Ahly's most successful manager of all time and a former Sporting Lisbon coach, told Portugal's Radio Renaissance.
“If he wants he can help Sporting, but he's also a great risk because he had disciplinary problems with previous clubs that he played for. He is a good player with a superstar status but he has lost his humility.”
The Portuguese coach famously highlighted the threat posed by Shikabala when he once said “nullify him and mission is done”; hinting that Zamalek's prowess solely rests in the foot of the talented schemer.
Dazzling skills
Characterised by his dazzling tricks, neat footwork and goal-scoring instincts, the lively forward has been a key player for Zamalek, with opposing defenders usually mulling their options before deciding on a tackle that might leave them blushing with embarrassment if they are beaten.
Critics blamed him for failing to make a notable impact with Egypt but at times he was given a different role with the Pharaohs that did not really suit him.
He was forced to drift deep too often in search of the ball in several matches during Egypt's World Cup qualifying run last year, including both home and away matches against Ghana in the decisive round.
The return leg in Cairo, where Ghana easily advanced to the World Cup despite losing 2-1, having thrashed Egypt 6-1 in the first-leg in Kumasi, saw him repeatedly lose possession in the final third.
His disappointing display had critics questioning whether Shikabala was up to the standard of such high-profile matches.
Shikabala, whose only spell in Europe was with Greek side PAOK between 2005 and 2007, still has a timely chance to make amends and prove his worth when he plays with Sporting, who are just two points behind Portuguese league leaders Benfica after 16 games.
There will be no lack of ambition for Shikabala at the club which nurtured Portugal greats Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I wish Shikabala luck with Sporting. He is one of Zamalek's loyal players and I'm glad that he left the club in a good way,” said Zamalek coach Mido, who tried in vain to coax Shikabala into staying put after replacing Helmi Toulan in the dugout.
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