How do you view the current fanaticism among football fans?
The problem lies not with the fans, but with the stars of the game. Some players appear on screens and speak in the same style as social media. The main issue during this period is that some seek trends without paying attention to right and wrong; history and name are responsibilities that must be maintained without inciting fanaticism among fans or compromising your identity.
How did you follow the summit match between Al Ahly and Zamalek?
Each team had different objectives from the match. Al Ahly's coach, Hussein Ammouta, faced issues with the fans because he couldn't deliver the performance they expected. Al Ahly fans always aspire for performance, not just results, and they demand big outcomes, especially with a large number of stars in the team. However, the last summit was the lowest in terms of quality between Al Ahly and Zamalek. Al Ahly had no choice but to win, while Zamalek's tone was all about justifying results, whether they won or drew under these circumstances, claiming they were wronged in case of a loss, which affected the players' motivation.
How do you see the competition in the Egyptian league?
After the World Cup, passion noticeably declined among players. After playing in the biggest global tournament and facing Messi, putting pressure on him until the last moments, players return to the league, which clearly diminishes their motivation. This has affected Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Pyramids, as the first 5 matches in the league did not reveal the true level of these teams.
What do you think of Zamalek's performance under Moataz Gamal?
Zamalek, under Moataz Gamal, despite having talented players, appears much weaker compared to Al Ahly, both technically and in reality. Moataz Gamal has only 11 players and hopes to achieve surprises with them, while in Al Ahly, when Ben Sharqi, Imam, El Shahat, and Tahr Mohamed Tahr come on, what do you expect from them?
How do you see Al Ahly's policy of relying on strong signings despite not achieving anything last season?
When Al Ahly won the league multiple times, they secured the championship. After winning in Africa, they moved to the Club World Cup, and the club's management changed its vision to aim for competition in the Club World Cup. The management began to think solely about acquiring strong signings, but did not consider other championships, nor did they pay attention to the most important aspect, which is the balance in the dressing room and whether it was ready to accommodate all these stars. They should have reviewed player contracts to prevent crises among them and ensured that there were administrators capable of managing this matter. They brought in stars and then started looking for solutions, which led to the loss of championships.
What do you think of the choice of Hussein Ammouta to coach Al Ahly?
After the departure of Danish coach Jes Torup, Al Ahly's management sought a strong personality to replace him, aiming to control the players and the dressing room. Thus, they contracted Ammouta, who indeed possesses a strong and confrontational personality, with an impressive resume. His experience with Morocco has been remarkable in recent years. Al Ahly's goal was to hire a skilled coach and administrator, which is evident in Ammouta's performance during matches. I expect him to succeed with the team, especially after surpassing the summit.
How do you see the presence of Moroccan players in the Egyptian league?
I am very impressed with Moroccan players and the strategy followed by the Moroccan federation. It is an Arab experience we can benefit from. The Moroccan experience succeeded because it focused on developing the youth sector, while the difference between us and them is that their players turned professional after the World Cup, while this has not happened for us after the World Cup.
What is the secret behind your generation's success in dominating the Africa Cup of Nations?
It was merely a coincidence; we did not succeed in planning. In the Africa Cup of Nations 1998, there was no plan to win. Although we performed excellently, after losing to Saudi Arabia in the Confederations Cup, everything collapsed. Everything changed; the federation president, the coach, and everyone close to the federation left. However, we returned in 2006 with Hassan Shehata, as we were the older generation and joined by remarkable players, and we were blessed with a good group, achieving success. After the Africa Cup of Nations 2010, we did not qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations again due to poor planning.
What do you think of the level of youth sectors?
The country is a gold mine, but youth sectors have become commodities bought and sold. Anyone can buy any generation from these sectors. I was about to confront one of the officials in the youth sectors when I learned that he excluded a player because he did not have enough money to pay the subscription. Clubs should be the ones searching for talents, not the other way around. All players fled due to poor management of the sectors, which is why we find many young players turning professional with other nationalities.
How has this affected the national team in your opinion?
The lack of communication in the past period before Hossam Hassan, with coaches in youth teams, led to a significant decline in performance. Hassan Shehata won the Africa Cup of Nations because he was the coach of the Olympic team in 2003, and then took over the first team and won the Africa Cup of Nations. For example, Al Ahly has everything needed for success, but at Zamalek, Moataz Gamal thinks more about off-field issues than on-field ones, such as crises, travel, overdue payments, and other matters that burden the players.
How did you view Zamalek's league title last season despite the circumstances they faced?
The players' state was the reason for Zamalek winning the league, along with the winning spirit. Winning one match motivates the team for the next match, and luck was on their side significantly. This also happened in the World Cup with the national team; there was a shared state among the players that led to a historic achievement.
How do you see the decline in the level of popular clubs?
We have started playing in a corporate league, and I sincerely hope that the Egyptian league returns to what it was when I played, where every match was filled with fans. I remember the match between Ghazl El Mahalla and Mansoura, where security was present from Mansoura to Mahalla due to the crowd. Especially in matches between the two poles, I achieved significant accomplishments with Mansoura. Popular clubs should be strengthened with respectable administrative staff that have a strategic vision. I do not forget when Pyramids won the CAF Champions League; the team celebrated only on the first day, and the next day, it was forgotten. We started solving issues through mergers, but this merger should be activated effectively and not just be ink on paper.
What do you think of the development of some players' performances with the national team and their decline with clubs, like Mohamed Hani and Yasser Ibrahim, to the point of being accused of negligence by fans?
Al Ahly fans are very harsh compared to Zamalek fans, meaning they do not consider what a player has done for the club, no matter his history. Even if he has won 20 titles, they look at what he will deliver tomorrow for the team. Many big names have left Al Ahly and no one remembers them. This is the character of the fans since Al Ahly's establishment until now; the club is always the foundation, and they want to see you at the top. However, Zamalek fans love their players unconditionally. Even if a player leaves the match, they provide excuses for their players when they lose, whether due to conspiracies, refereeing injustices, or club crises. But Mohamed Hani and Yasser Ibrahim are great players and should be renewed and retained.
What do you think of Mohamed Salah's transfer to the Turkish league?
I did not expect Mohamed Salah to move to Trabzon, but I believe he has other considerations. I expected him to move to one of the top five leagues, but Mohamed Salah is a complete system that moves together, not just a football player. He has faced significant pressures during his transfer to the Turkish league due to the Turkish media contacting me, asking for my advice for Salah, but I have not reached that level to offer him advice. I turned off my phone due to the numerous calls. Mohamed Salah has added a lot to the Turkish league.
Who do you think will win the league at the end of the season?
Historically, Al Ahly and Zamalek cannot be excluded from the competition, no matter Zamalek's level. However, technically, the competition will be strong between Al Ahly and Pyramids until the end.
Title your football career.. without flattering yourself, how would it be: A player who achieved what he deserved, or a player who could have achieved much more but circumstances did not help him?
A player who could have achieved more, but our vision was not greater than that. Our ambition was not higher; our ambition ceiling was Hani Ramzy, but we deserved more than what we reached.
You started your professional career without a salary.. what was the hardest situation you faced?
I did not have a car, and at that time I knew nothing about offers and professional contracts, or how to set conditions in my contract with the club, until a fan gave me a car for me and Mohamed Youssef.
You lost consciousness for 3 days due to saving a ball with your team in the Turkish league.. what are the details?
It was a ball in stoppage time after the 90th minute, and we were under attack. The player shot the ball, and it hit my head to prevent it from entering the net. Instead of shooting the ball, the player's foot hit my head, and that shock still affects my face. I lost consciousness for 3 days afterward.
I caused injuries to more than 6 players in the Egyptian national team during the 2010 camp.. what are the details?
Due to swine flu, we got a two-day break, and I traveled to check on my children in Turkey. My daughter Jana was sick and transmitted the virus without my knowledge. We arrived in Angola, and I was very ill, with my temperature nearly reaching 50. I counted Hossam Abdel Rabbo, Emad Meteb, and possibly 10 players, to the extent that we entered one of the matches without 6 players due to their injuries. But thank God, we won the championship in the end, but I was so sick that I saw death in my eyes, and I played only one match throughout this tournament.
What is the truth about you hitting an Israeli player during one of the matches in the Turkish league?
This story received a lot of media attention in Turkey at that time, especially after the Israeli player made statements after the match, claiming that I intentionally hit him because he is Israeli. I had to defend myself in the media at that time, but I did indeed hit him.
Tell us about the behind-the-scenes of the Egypt-Algeria match in 2010.. the difficult moments and how the players overcame them
I do not want to remember this match because it was the only hope for our generation to qualify for the World Cup. If we played it 100 times, we would win against the Algerian team. The behind-the-scenes of this match were sad, and there were significant administrative errors, and off-field issues caused our defeat. In the end, our generation did not qualify for the World Cup.
What are the details of the racial pressures you faced from your coach?
He was an atheist coach, and I used to gather the Turkish players and tell them to pray. As soon as he took over, he changed my room. In our first meeting, I greeted him with "peace be upon you," and he replied, "There is no such thing as peace be upon you; it is just 'hi'." He excluded me from the lineup for 3 matches, after which the club president investigated him.
Who was the toughest striker you faced?
Drogba, the star of Ivory Coast, is undoubtedly one of the great strikers with tremendous capabilities.
Send a message to these:
Hossam Abdel-Meguid.. you must realize that you are Egypt's defender for the next ten years, and you should develop yourself and your skills faster and more significantly.
Hassan Shehata.. may God give you health; I love you very much, and I hope we honor and appreciate you.
Imam Ashour.. in the coming years, you will be a great player in the team and the national team. What you used to do before cannot be done now; you must realize that you are a star and feel your talent, and that the fans are affected by you. This is a responsibility because a star must be a role model for the youth.
Zizo.. you are one of the professional personalities I respect, and I believe he has overcome the pressures he faced after moving to Al Ahly. In the coming period, Zizo should return to being the player we know and add to the Egyptian national team.
What is the best defensive line in the history of Egyptian football from your perspective?
This topic may anger some, but there is a fixed point: those who have won championships deserve to be present because a player is numbers. I see that Wael Gomaa and I are the two defenders who have won the most championships, as we won 3 Africa Cup of Nations titles with the national team, and we deserve to be in the best defensive line in the history of the national team. For example, Ibrahim Hassan was a great player, but when we talk about championships, we find that Ahmed Fathy achieved much with the national team. I believe that: Ahmed Fathy, Wael Gomaa, Abdelzaher El-Sakka, and Sayed Moawad are the best defensive line in the history of Egyptian football.
When will the national team return to the podiums of African championships?
Rizk, I hope that God blesses us with a generation that will win the title. We are currently in a very good phase, and we have a remarkable generation in the 2007 national team. The senior national team has outstanding players who deserve to join this generation. If a plan is put in place for that, we will win championships for many years, as we are always contenders for the Africa Cup of Nations.
