CAIRO Veteran midfielder Ahmed Hassan insisted on Thursday the notion of leaving Ahly did not cross his mind. The Egyptian international joined Ahly in the close season after his contract with Belgian giants Anderlecht expired. He put in superb displays in Ahly s two Cairo derbies victory over Zamalek early in the season but failed to maintain his battling performances in midfield. Some reports suggested Hassan was looking to depart the Red Devils after being consistently substituted by manager Manuel Jose. But the former Besiktas man, who scored five goals for Ahly in all competitions so far, said those reports were well wide of the mark. I don't consider leaving Ahly, neither in January nor at the end of the season, he told Ahly s official website. I do not consider returning to Anderlecht either, although the Belgian club opened the door to my return. I intend to see out my contract as I'm enjoying my time here. My relationship with the technical staff and my teammates is very good. Hassan is relishing the prospect of facing Ismaili in the Egyptian Premier League on Saturday as the match will link him up with his old team. The 33-year-old spent a two-year spell with Ismaili in the late 1990s before moving to the Turkish Super Lig, where he played for four clubs. This is the first match for me at Ismailia stadium since 1998, Hassan said. The game will be difficult, but Ahly are determined to win such an important clash. Ahly s clash against fierce rivals Ismaili has been marred by off-field tensions between fans from both clubs during the past few years.
