Former Ahli coach Manuel Jose heaped praise on the Red Devils' influential duo Mohamed Abou-Treika and Mohamed Barakat, revealing that the latter is his favorite player. It was widely believed that Egypt playmaker Abou-Treika was Jose's preferred footballer but the Portuguese manager admitted otherwise after going on about his great relationship with Barakat. "He's my favorite player," the highly-rated tactician told Nile Sports over the phone. "Barakat is a fantastic player and a fantastic man. "The man is my friend for the rest of my life.
Treika "Abou-Treika was a genius but Barakat was my favorite player and he made me as a famous coach in Egypt and the Middle East." Barakat, 33, joined Ahli from Qatari side Arabi in 2004 to help the Cairo giants win a multitude of titles under the management of Jose. Jose, who's considered to be the best coach in Ahli's history, took charge of Angola ahead of this year's African Cup of Nations. However, the 64-year-old quitted his job after the hosts' elimination from the quarter finals at the hands of eventual runners-up Ghana.
