CAIRO: Ahly playmaker Mohamed Abou-Trika is still clinging to fond memories of playing under the guidance of his side s former coach Manuel Jose. The 31-year-old spoke highly about Jose s abilities when he had a chance during a lengthy interview with Ahly s TV channel on Friday. Former Ahly midfielder Sayed Abdul-Hafiz, the interviewer, did not ask any questions about Jose, who was replaced with Hossam Al-Badri last summer. However, Abou-Trika did not miss out on the opportunity of praising his former boss. His teachings are still benefiting me, I m still learning from him, Abou-Trika, who became a household name after Jose brought him to Ahly in January 2004, said. He had a great influence on me on the personal level, I wrote down his advices to make the most of them. Abou-Trika blossomed under Jose to become one of the best players in Ahly s history. He credited his inspiring form to the Portuguese tactician on numerous occasions and is still paying tribute to him even after he left Ahly to take over at Angola. During his days with Ahly, he cared about anything related to the players, even the very minor details, Abou-Trika added. For instance, he used to check whether the soccer boots of the players were suitable or not. Abou-Trika, who helped Ahly win a host of local and continental titles during the past five years, said he is still in touch with Jose. Jose told me he opted not to remain with Angola because he loves to work on a daily basis, he said. The 63-year-old left Angola following their elimination from the African Cup of Nations quarter finals at the hands of eventual runners-up Ghana on home soil.
