Ahli will primarily rely on Manuel Jose's coaching credentials to close the gap on league leaders Zamalek in the eagerly-anticipated two-horse race over the second half of the season. The Red Devils installed the Portuguese tactician for the third time after suffering a string of poor results on all fronts, having won only a couple of league games out of their last eight. Although Jose led Ahli to a large number of local and African triumphs in his previous tenures, his task of reviving the Cairo giants' domestic campaign seems to be quite daunting. Under Hossam Al-Badri, the Egyptian champions were frequently slated over the past months for their substandard displays, with many critics citing the team's dire need of reinforcements. Apart from signing Mauritania striker Dominique da Silva and having Egypt marksman Emad Meteb back, Ahli made no major changes to their squad in the winter. And so, jose will be managing pretty much the same group of veterans and youngsters who failed to impress while working with Al-Badri earlier this term. "I didn't ask for any new players because I am aware of the club's financial situation," the 64-year-old said when asked in a press conference about possible arrivals in January. Jose's responsibility to help the existing players reinvent themselves is now extremely critical, with no big-name signings to bolster Ahli's stuttering midfield and rearguard. Same Players, Same Formation Some of the Ahli stars who blossomed during Jose's long reign are still plying their trade at the club but as such, they are no longer in their prime. The likes of Mohamed Abou-Treika, Mohamed Barakat and Wael Gomaa have come under intense media scrutiny this season as their abilities were repeatedly questioned. Nonetheless, Jose assured that the old guard will play a key role under his management.
Barakat and Treika "The experienced players like Abou-Treika and Barakat are like my friends and we used to talk sometimes after I left," he stated during a lengthy interview with Ahli TV. "People used to say they are old, they are old, but I think they can still do well. "People also need to understand that I trust those players and I think that, with the relationship that we have, they can do more than what they've done in the last two years. "The old players will also help a lot in translating my thoughts and feelings to the younger players. This is very important. "The fans need to stand by the old players and also not to put pressure on the youngsters that were promoted by Hossam Al-Badri and Zizo before me. "The fans need to put their confidence in all players and be patient with the old and young ones." Not only will Jose bank on the experience of the ageing footballers whom he favored in the past decade, but he is also likely to deploy the same 3-5-2 formation he depended on beforehand. "We will play with the formation that suits the players and the one we could win matches with," the former Benfica boss explained. "In the last match against Zamalek, the best three performers were sweeper Hossam Ghaly and center-halves Wael Gomaa and Sherif Abdul-Fadil, so there is nothing wrong with the 3-5-2." Al-Badri switched to 4-4-2 when he took charge of Ahli but his predecessor Abdul-Aziz Abdul Shafi 'Zizo' employed a 3-5-2 formation during his brief spell late in 2010. Shikabala & Pressure Even though he has a plan to lead a turnaround in Ahli's fortunes, Jose admitted that his team's league chances are not entirely in his hands.
Shikabala at his best this season Zamalek, who have won nine matches out of 14 so far this season, are on top the league table with 31 points, six ahead of their perennial arch-foes who are languishing in fourth place. Jose underlined the fact that the Whites have to slip up in order for Ahli to catch up with them. From his perspective, there are two factors that could negatively affect the leaders' consistency; Shikabala and pressure. Like the majority of the Egyptian pundits, Jose is convinced that capable forward Shikabala is a main reason why Zamalek are leading the way. The 24-year-old is enjoying his best season yet after he made the most of his unique talent and overcame his tendency to show off his dribbling skills. Jose advised the Egyptian Premier League teams to tightly mark Shika, the league top scorer with a nine-goal tally, in order to beat Zamalek in the upcoming matches. "Zamalek have six points. OK, I'm going to say to the other clubs catch Shikabala and it's going to be more easy for us," he said. Pressure is the second element that could take a toll on Hossam Hassan's side and cause them to lose their advantage, Jose believes. "When we begin to win games, more pressure will be piled on Zamalek," he told Modern TV. "They won't be able to handle this kind of pressure, especially that they have tough games at Ismaili and Masri. "I'm sure they will stumble and lose some points."
