Ahli coach Manuel Jose has finally responded to the accusations that have been made against him by a myriad of pundits throughout his prosperous tenure at the Cairo club. Much as he led the Red Devils to unprecedented records this decade, the Portuguese coach was panned on numerous occasions for the way he runs the team and his tough managerial approach. What made the criticism against Jose more severe over the past years is that he rarely speaks to the media, as resolute was his refusal to have a close relationship with the Egyptian press. He came under fire this season after Ahli were disqualified from the CAF Champions League, while their Egyptian Premier League campaign is significantly threatened by a fierce competition from Ismaili. After the announcement of his departure at the end of the season, the 63-year-old stood up for his policy and revealed his feelings towards every aspect of his nearly-ended fruitful Ahli spell. Uncommitted Jose has faced a baptism of fire since the revelation that he will take charge of the Angolan national team starting next term. The announcement of his departure didn't go down well at all; especially that it came after he had a barren run with the six-time African champions this season. Some critics believe his decision to leave at this particular time clearly reflects how uncommitted he is, and even described him as a hypocrite for promising to stay at Ahli till the expiry of his contract in 2010. Jose made no secret of the reasons why he changed his mind all of a sudden. "I felt like my role with Ahli is over, so leaving now is better for both parties," he said during a prolonged interview with Ahli's space channel.
Abou-Treika and Jose have bond of friendship "I decided to leave long before I received the Angola offer. The work environment is no longer suitable for me and I don't think I can lead Ahli to any more titles. "I've made up my mind after our elimination from the Club World Cup because I saw that my team keep making the same mistakes over and over again, and I won't be able to fix that. "After our disqualification from the Champions League, I knew that my decision was right. "Meanwhile, Angola made a good offer, so I informed Ahli with my desire to exit and they respectfully had no reservations about it." Many people reckon the timing of Jose's departure announcement could have been better, as Ahli were having a couple of league matches to see the season through, with title still hanging in the balance. But Jose thinks otherwise. "Ahli's players are no children, they are stars who know that their club is their top priority," he said. "They will keep fighting for the title till the end regardless of anything else." Break Ahli's current squad is proudly the most decorated in the club's history; they started their quest for glory in 2003 and have added a multitude of trophies in the club's cabinet ever since. But now it's arguably believed the same very men who made history have turned faded, such as international playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika. However, Jose asserted that the current players are still at the peak of their careers, saying that some rest is what they need to recharge their batteries.
Flavio and Barakat are among Jose's favorite players "The consecutive games were a real burden for Ahli. This pressure affected them physiologically and physically as well, but they will restore top form when they get a break," he said. "A player like Mohamed Barakat keeps improving as he gets older, I know that every now and then the club have to dismantle their squad, but Ahli's current footballers can ply their trade for two or three more years." Jose has seldom changed his line-ups since he set foot in Ahli, he has been keeping faith in the old guard at the expense of newcomers and youngsters. Consequently, he's blamed for not introducing a new generation that could competently replace the ageing veterans, who are also under fire. The media highlighted this matter more than once over the past years, but when Zamalek ended their misery by promoting several young players, Jose found himself in hot water. "Some people are convinced Zamalek's youngsters resulted in the team's improvement, and the other way around for Ahli," he said. "They ignored the fact that Ahli's squad is full and doesn't need changes for the time being, unlike Zamalek who had nothing when they decided to count on young blood. "Imagine that Zamalek decided not to bring in any experienced players, do you think they would compete? Of course not.. they need high-profile players like Barakat and Abou-Treika." Necessary Attributes Jose's insistence to rely on certain figures is said to be the reason why all the new signings didn't get the chance to prove their worth. Left-back Sayed Moawad lost his spot in the Egyptian national side after spending a long time on Ahli's sidelines, striker Ahmed Hassan Farag is not longer influential and Hussein Yasser is far from being settled.
When I first came to Egypt, Ahli were playing with nine players in defense and a sole striker, the word 'formation' was literally undefined - Jose The trio eventually unveiled their intention of joining other outfits, where they can play more regular football. "All those who requested to leave Ahli lack the necessary attributes to represent such an imposing club (Ahli). The red Jersey is heavy, and some players are incapable of putting it on," Jose commented. "Securing a regular spot in Ahli's starting eleven is no breeze; there are players who excel in training and quiver in fear during competitive games, and my responsibility is to make the right choices. "If you want to size up a player, you need to see how he would perform in big games. The Likes of (Amado) Flavio and Barakat make the difference in such games, and that's why they are the stars." During the poor run of late, Jose was also accused of not adding any technical value to the team. Some colonists vouched that any mediocre Egyptian tactician could repeat Jose's feats if he had equivalent group of footballers at his disposal. But the former Benfica tactician gave himself some credit by referring to 'the mark he left on Ahli and the Egyptian football alike'. "When I first came to Egypt, Ahli were playing with nine players in defense and a sole striker, the word 'formation' was literally undefined," Jose bragged. "Under my management, the team evolved and were given insight into football tactics. They started to know how to move, attack and score. "Today all Egyptian top-flight teams are doing the same, and the whole competition has become way much better."
