Al-Ahly's playmaker Mohamed Abou Treika still clings to fond memories of playing under the guidance of his side's former coach Manuel Jose. The 31-year-older spoke highly of Jose's abilities when given the chance during a lengthy interview with Ahly's TV channel Friday night. Former Ahly's midfielder Sayyed Abdel-Hafiz, the interviewer, did not ask any questions about Jose, who was replaced by Hossam el-Badri last summer. However, Abou Treika did not miss out on the opportunity of praising his former boss. "I'm still learning from him," Abou Treika, 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've written down his advice to make the most of it." Abou Treika 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 Ahli to take over at Angola. "During his days with Al-Ahly, he cared about anything related to the players, even the very minor details," Abou Treika added. "For instance, he used to check whether the players' boots were suitable or not." Abou Treika, who has helped Ahly win a host of local and continental titles over the past five years, said he was still in touch with Jose. "Jose told me he opted not to remain with Angola because he loved to work on a daily basis," he explained. The 63-year-older left Angola following their elimination from the African Cup of Nations' quarter-finals at the hands of eventual runners-up Ghana on home soil.
