Event of the year It has to be the January 25 Revolution; an historic event that had a direct impact on every single aspect of life in Egypt, and naturally on football. Domestic games are being overshadowed by political issues and the wind in Tahrir Square is usually carried over to the stands inside the stadium. Members of Ultras Ahlawy and Ultras White Knights comprise a considerable share of the ‘Tahrir Youth', who managed to change the course of history in Egypt. The revolution was hardly a triumph for most sports-related figures in Egypt, with the likes of Hassan Shehata and the Hassan twins losing major ground with their support to Hosni Mubarak. The aftermath of the revolution saw a number of sportspeople, among other celebrities, turn from social icons into ‘blacklisted celebrities'. Shock of the year The seven-time African champions have failed to make the finals! An unprecedented setback saw Egypt eliminated from the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers thanks to a dismal campaign that ended with the Pharaohs finishing bottom of their group. It was a total blow with former champions Egypt and South Africa relinquishing the qualifying ticket to minnows Niger and Sierra Leone. A consolation, however, was the surprise fact that Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria will also be watching the biennial showdown from home alongside Egypt. Decision of the year It was a big, crucial yet inexplicable call by the Egyptian FA to annul relegation and expand the Premier League to 19 teams in one of the most difficult seasons in the country's history. Following a barrage of promises that ‘regulations will be implemented and that the 16-club system will not be changed', the FA suddenly backtracked to save the bottom trio from demotion. With the ongoing political conditions, the association is now left to deal with the ramifications of the expansion decision, amid security concerns, postponed games and of course ‘orders from higher authorities' against the huge fixture list of the 36-week league. Club of the year
The Blacklist Zamalek have been top of the league for most of the year before relinquishing their lead to arch-rivals Ahli, who did very little to retain the title as it was more like a gift from their misfiring foes. So there had to be a Dark Horse for the year and MCDR surely deserved the tag, thanks to a superb 18-match unbeaten run and a sixth-place finish in their debut season in top flight. Tarek Yehia's side have only lost twice in 2011 and no other team have succumbed to fewer defeats in all competitions. Player of the year It was a disappointing year for the Egypt national team and there was nothing special on the domestic scene, but Ahmed Hassan's record for most international caps surely lighted some of the gloom. Hassan's club career took a major blow when he was surprisingly released by Ahli in the summer, only for the evergreen midfielder to prove a point with a magnificent start at arch-rivals Zamalek. The 36-year-old needed no time to start banging goals for the Whites, vehemently assuring that his career is far from over. Hassan deservedly earned a call-up for Egypt's friendly with Brazil in November and the historic feat of 179 caps couldn't have come against a more high-profile opposition. Manager of the year MCDR boss Tarek Yehia proved his credentials as a potential Egypt manager, thanks to a terrific campaign with the unfancied Fayoum club. Yehia's impressive work was echoed when he was shortlisted as a candidate to take charge of the national team following the departure of Hassan Shehata in June. Rising star of the year A goalkeeping wonderkid and a natural heir to the great Essam Al-Hadari; Ahmed Al-Shennawi is undoubtedly the next big thing in Egyptian football. The 20-year-old was instrumental in Egypt's qualification for the Olympic Games and can now be considered a key player for the senior team after a solid display against Brazil in Doha. Transfer of the year It's been a long time since a big-name footballer has moved directly from Ahli to Zamalek or vice-versa, but this season was preceded by a move for Egypt captain from one Cairo giant to another. It was a free transfer yet Ahmed Hassan's switch from Ahli to Zamalek beat other mega signings made including the capture of Abdullah Al-Saied and Walid Soliman by his former club.
