Obituary: (1940-2008) HE HAD a great passion for Port Said's Misri football team, winning the admiration of the country's soccer family and his city in life and at his grand, sombre funeral. The ebullient president of Misri club, , had fallen ill at Cairo Airport after arriving from Turkey on Friday. In hospital, he followed his beloved team on TV from intensive care. He insisted that nobody know the reason for his absence from work. Ten minutes after his team scored in a league game, it made no difference. The man who led the club for more than a quarter century, died peacefully from heart failure. Metwali, 68, a famed businessman who ran his business in Egypt and Albania, had been running Misri club for 28 years. He started as a fan of the team like the rest of the coastal town, became a member of the board in 1978, then president only two years later. He was at 37 the youngest person ever to be president of a sports club in Egypt. With age and passion on his side, Metwali showed vigour and daring. He brought international players and coaches to Misri starting from the 1970s among whom was the most famous of them all, the Hungarian and Real Madrid legend Pushkas as coach. He also organised training camps for the team in Europe. Metwali was well known for supporting his team financially from his own money, spending almost LE5 million a month on the side. Following his death the club announced it was in debt to the tune of LE15 million. He also defended his team after any loss, giving them his full support. Misri, meaning Egyptian in Arabic, never won a domestic league, African or Arab title but managed to capture the cup once in 1997. They are currently in 9th place in the league table. Ali Faragallah, a board member and a Metwali aide, will run the club as interim president until elections are held.
