Even before his first game as Ahli's returning coach, Manuel couldn't wait to needle the club's immortal enemy, Ahmed Morsy reports On his first day on the job as football coach of Ahli, Manuel looked like he was picking a fight with league leaders and arch-rivals Zamalek, warning of the pending comeback of his club in the second round of the domestic league. At his first press conference since rejoining the team, threw down the gauntlet to Zamalek, joking about the date the press conference was being held -- 6 January, or, read another way, 1/ 6, which he said reminded him of the Reds' most famous victory over the cross-town opposition. "Today, it's 1/6. It reminds me of our 6-1 victory over Zamalek. I'm very optimistic about it and I think we can do it again in the second round," said in the conference. also thought it a good omen that in the hotel he is staying in Cairo, he was on the 16th floor. The Portuguese tactician is Ahli's most successful coach after leading them to 19 titles as well as handing Zamalek a series of heavy defeats during his previous two stints with the club which added up to over six years. said he would try hard to make sure Zamalek will not win the league for a seventh straight barren year. 's comments predictably did not go down well with Zamalek. The club's outspoken football director Ibrahim Hassan replied the following day. "Many thanks to for motivating our players," Hassan, who was a member of the Zamalek side that got hammered by 's Ahli in 2002, told FilGoal.com. "All our players will now try to work harder than ever, not just to keep the six-point lead over Ahli, but also to extend it. "If Hossam Hassan, [Zamalek's coach], and I had the chance to send a present for his quotes, we would have done it." A day after, during an interview with TV sports show host Ahmed Shoubeir, said his 6-1 comment did not mean disrespect. "It was just a joke because I was appointed as Ahli's boss during a press conference held on 1/ 6. And my hotel room is on the 16th floor. "I respect Zamalek coach Hassan and his twin brother Ibrahim." Defending champions Ahli lie fourth in the league table with 25 points, six behind Zamalek who are leading the way. said the six-point gap had not settled the league race. "We are still halfway and there is still a long way to go. We will never give up." He added that Ahli's mission would be easier if the other opponents mark Zamalek's talented playmaker Mahmoud Abdel-Razek, known as Shikabala. said he was in daily contact with Ahli official Khaled Murtagi who, he acknowledged, was the main reason why he came back. He stated that Murtagi, an Ahli board member, used to call him about 15 times a day to persuade him to return. He added that Ahli were the African Barcelona during the past six years. "I'm determined and eager to help Ahli replicate such great success," added. "I always admired the way Barcelona play. This is the football I would like my team to play," said. "All the fans also love that kind of football. I will do my best to help Ahli produce entertaining displays but it will be difficult to emulate the football the team played during my previous spell at the helm. The physical attributes of some players are not like before. We have several players who are over 30." But the 64-year old tactician defended his aging players and asked for the fans support. "Our players are professional and that's why the age issue doesn't matter. "It's just a matter of how they perform on the pitch. But we also have a lot of young players who need a lot of help and experience. The supporters must back them and be patient." During his interview, , who returned to Ahli after brief stints with Angola and Saudi side Ittihad Jeddah, expressed his readiness to make peace with Ahli's former goalie Essam El-Hadari. "I'm waiting for you to invite me for dinner in Cairo so that we end the dispute," told El-Hadari who phoned in during the interview. He said that while Zamalek took seven years to build a team to vie for the championship, he won 19 titles. "Ahli players are better than Zamalek's but only if they do what's in my head," emphasised, adding that winning the league championship is not difficult "if we sign a talented striker." The former Angola and Ittihad Jeddah coach added that during official games, he will use whatever formation helps him win, whether it was 3-5-2 or 4-4-2. Ahli will resume action against Misr Lilmkassah on 22 January in the 15th week of the Egyptian national league. Prior to that, Ahli will play two friendly games to allow to get a renewed feel for his team. Ahli are scheduled to play against Al-Shams on 14 January as well as another as yet undetermined team on the 17th of the same month as friendlies, making use of a stoppage in the league because of the Nile Basin tournament. On Monday, Ahli beat Al-Sekkah 1-0 in a friendly encounter in which Ahli's Liberian striker Francis Doe scored the lone goal.
