Ahli are the strongest candidates to clinch the Egyptian League title but they can expect a fierce fight from arch-rivals Zamalek, who have been revolutionized by departed coach Henri Michel. Ismaili will attempt to leapfrog both sides to the summit instead of just watching the usual two-horse race. Yet, the real battle will be in the basement where most of the clubs try to escape relegation. The Big Three Ahli seem to be the most stable side of the battling trio, with Zamalek and Ismaili suffering huge pre-season blows due to the sudden departure of their managers Henri Michel and Patrice Neveu respectively. Ahli snapped up midfielder Moataz Eno and striker Reda Al-Weeshi this summer, and if the Egyptian champions won the race against Ismaili for Hosni Abd-Rabou, the Egypt midfielder should add some quality to the squad. Manuel Jose's team, who comfortably clinched the title in the last three seasons, could face a major threat from rejuvenated Zamalek. The Whites reinforced their defense by landing Beshir Al-Tabie, Karim Zekri, Jordan wideman Khaled Saad and highly-rated stopper Mahmoud Fathallah. The experience of Dutch coach Ruud Krol could be one of the main strengths of Zamalek, whose fans are desperate for a trophy after a three-year drought. On the other hand, Taha Basri will be at the helm at Ismaili. The former ENPPI manager possesses a considerable history in the Egyptian league as well as several talented and hungry-for-success players. Mid-table Contest Last season's surprise package Al-Gaish managed to claim fourth place, and the Armed Forces side has been showing progress since entering the Egyptian football scene three seasons ago.
Ismaili Talaat Youssef's side will make the headlines if they can hold on to last season's achievement. Harras Al-Hodoud snapped up Ahli's Wael Riad and they also managed to keep key players like Ahmed Eid, Abdul-Salam Nagah and Ahmed Abdul-Ghani, who were targeted by Egypt's top clubs. Ghazl Mahalla new manager Mohamed Fayez was unfortunate to lose two of his central figures after the club sold Fathallah to Zamalek and former skipper Mahmoud Sobhi to Ittihad. It could be a tough season for the delta side, whose summer signings lacked the presence of big names. Petrojet enjoyed a fine first season at the top flight last term, finishing seventh, but this time former Ahli star Mokhtar Mokhtar will definitely have further ambitions with the petroleum side. Arab Contractors are a team with a bright history, and reaching the top four could be a fair achievement to their standards. Hani Ramzi was the youngest manager in the league last season, but this time the former Egypt defender is joined by Anwar Salama at ENPPI. The duo hopes they can revive the team's competence and evade last season's instability. The Relegation Battle Helmi Toulan introduced a major reshuffle once he took over as Masri manager. The former Al-Hodoud coach offloaded as many as 21 players and acquired 17 new faces in return. Toulan will have to work hard in order to build an entirely new squad for a club widely known for having an impatient board. Suez Cement implemented a manager trade-in as they appointed Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Shafi 'Zizo' in place of Mohamed Amer. The team remained quiet during the summer transfer period. Zizo hopes he can push the team higher than the 11th position they had last season. Tersana sacrificed top scorer and skipper Hossam Hassan for Ittihad despite the fact that he rescued the team from relegation last term. Farouk Gaafar's side are expected to encounter further obstacles this season. Ittihad were just escaped relegation last season and Mohamed Omar wishes t
