Al Ahly have completed plans for their preparations ahead of the new season, with newly appointed head coach Hussein Ammouta expected to arrive in Cairo next Friday before officially beginning work with the Egyptian club.
The preparations come after a disappointing campaign that prompted significant changes across the football department. Al Ahly ended the season without winning the Egyptian League, Egypt Cup, CAF Champions League or the Capital of Egypt Cup, while a third-place finish in the domestic league also meant the club failed to qualify for the next edition of the CAF Champions League.
In response to those results, the club carried out a broad restructuring of its football operations, introducing a new technical team and making several changes to key leadership positions.
Major Changes Behind the Scenes
Al Ahly announced the departures of football director Walid Salah El-Din and assistant coach Adel Mostafa as part of the overhaul. The club also ended the contract of Danish coach Jess Torup together with his coaching staff.
Several new appointments have followed. Wael Gomaa has been named football director, while Tunisian coach Anis Boujelbane will head the scouting department. Essam Serag El-Din has taken over as contracts director, with Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta appointed as the club’s new head coach. Former Egypt international Yasser Radwan will serve as his assistant.
Previous reports also revealed the composition of Ammouta’s coaching staff. The technical team will include Moroccan coach Hisham Zahid and Yasser Radwan as assistant coaches, Dutch goalkeeping coach Joe and Brazilian fitness coach Renato.
Ammouta to Lead First Training Sessions
According to an official source at Al Ahly, Ammouta has scheduled his arrival in the Egyptian capital for next Friday, when he is expected to be formally introduced to the media before beginning preparations with the squad.
The source said: “Ammouta will lead the beginning of the Red Team’s preparation period, which is set for July 6, according to the training program that the technical director himself set.”
Preparations for the new campaign will begin with players undergoing physical assessments and comprehensive medical examinations before football activities intensify.
The source added: “The players will undergo physical measurements and a comprehensive medical examination before the start of the new season, and the new season camp will likely be on July 20.”
The pre-season camp is expected to form a key part of Ammouta’s plans as he begins implementing his ideas ahead of the new domestic campaign.
International Players Still Awaiting Clarity
One issue yet to be resolved concerns Al Ahly’s international players, whose availability for the opening stages of pre-season remains uncertain.
The source explained that no final decision has been taken because several members of the squad remain on international duty with the national team, which is preparing to face Australia next Friday in the Round of 32 of the World Cup.
Their involvement with the national side means the club is still waiting to determine exactly when those players will rejoin preparations under the new coaching staff.
Kabaka Ready After Injury Recovery
The source also confirmed that midfielder Ahmed Khaled Kabaka is expected to be available when training begins after recovering from the injury he sustained during his final appearance while on loan at Zed.
Kabaka has completed a rehabilitation programme supervised by Al Ahly team doctor Ahmed Gaballah and is expected to participate in group training from July 6.
His return provides Ammouta with an additional midfield option as the coach begins work on rebuilding a squad aiming to bounce back from one of the club’s most disappointing recent seasons.
With a new technical staff in place, a reshaped football structure and pre-season plans now finalised, Al Ahly will hope the changes provide the foundation for a stronger campaign after a year that ended without silverware and outside the CAF Champions League places.
