Mohamed Nagi 'Geddo' and Mostafa Selim 'Afrotto' have many things to worry about despite coming out of the blue to hit headlines and become hugely popular figures in Egyptian football. Bearing in mind that many players with undoubted potential struggled for consistency after being affected by the media hype, often ending up losing the popularity they once got, Ittihad forward Geddo and Ahli playmaker Afrotto will be hoping to take a different path. "The media gave me credit I do not yet deserve," former Egypt U-20 playmaker Afrotto, who scored twice to help Ahli to a 4-2 league victory over Police Union on his first-team debut, said. "I did not win with Ahli the (Club) World Cup or the African Champions League to be praised like that. I'm a young and inexperienced player and such media exposure could affect me. "I have been dreaming of this debut for a long time, so I should grasp this chance with both hands." Ittihad's Geddo burst onto the scene with some impressive displays in Egypt's African Cup of Nations triumphant campaign, despite being used as a substitute. He notched five goals off the bench to finish as the top scorer, steal the limelight and bask in a hero's reception upon returning home, where he was greeted by thousands of ecstatic fans. The 25-year-old, who failed to sparkle in two Egyptian league games with Ittihad after returning from international duty, is now in the middle of a tug-of-war between Zamalek and the Alexandria-based club over who own his registration. "I started to hate being a star," Geddo, who was considered a surprise inclusion in Egypt's squad for the Nations Cup, told FilGoal.com. "I can't walk in the streets or do my normal activities. Wherever I go, people surround me in numbers and I am not used to that. I think I'll be happier to be away from the limelight." Media Blackout Ahli ordered Afrotto not to talk to the media to help him keep his feet on the ground after helping the Red Devils overturn a one-goal deficit and come through Police's ambush unscathed. They apparently took into consideration the 20-year-old's nervous and immature temperament because he is no stranger to controversy. Ahli coach Hossam Al-Badri snubbed him for several months after he provoked opposing fans during a youth league game between the Cairo giants and Ittihad in November last year.
Geddo: Life after stardom Al-Badri instead preferred to rely on the likes of Ahmed Shokri and Mohamed Talaat, who were Afrotto's teammates during the U-20 World Cup on home soil. "I fully support Ahli's decision," the team's former star and current TV analyst Taha Ismail said in a telephone interview with FilGoal.com. "There are some players who need special treatment. Ahli know that Afrotto might find it difficult to cope with the media hype surrounding him. "They haven't done that with Shokri for instance, because he is a different type of player." Adverse Effects During the past 10 years, in which media blossomed with the introduction of satellite channels, some players managed to overcome the adverse effects of publicity but others could not. Mohamed Abou-Treika, Ahli and Egypt's inspirational playmaker who is consistently praised for his conservative lifestyle, maintained his calm and modest demeanor the same way he preserved his scintillating displays. Former Ahli and Zamalek defender Ibrahim Saied, once one of the best players in Egypt, ruined his previously-promising career with some childish acts on and off the pitch after becoming a household name. The players take the lion's share of responsibility for their tumble but media can not be entirely excused, Ismail believes. "Our media has a problem in its judgment of players. It makes very quick assessments," he said. "All people heaped praise on Geddo without waiting to see him in action in different contests. "For example, he did not play full 90 minutes in any game in the Nations Cup, why didn't they wait to see him play a full game?. "The difference between playing with the national team and playing with Ittihad in the domestic competition should have also been taken into consideration."
