YOKOHAMA: Ahly coach Manuel Jose said that the press turned him into the “worst coach in Egypt, following Ahly s 4-2 Club World Cup defeat to Pachuca.
Now I am the worst coach in Egypt, that’s what the press want and that’s what happens when Ahly lose, Jose told a press conference on Tuesday.
The Egyptian media started to give us a bashing after making a big fuss that we would be able to become the world club champions. Most of their criticism is ill-intentioned.
I got used to them. But I can not forgive those who criticize my players. They must understand the difference in football between Africa, Europe and South America.
They (Egyptian media) sometimes have a dream, but it sometimes becomes a nightmare. I ve never said we would become the world champions.
Jose is confident his players can learn from the Pachuca defeat, ahead of Thursday s fifth-place playoff match with Adelaide United in Yokohama.
My players are mentally strong and calm; they will never be downhearted by those criticisms. We won so many titles and we made history in our country in the past 50 years. The defeat made us more positive, not passive, he said.
I respect Adelaide but we must play our usual game like we did in the African Champions League final. If we can do that, we will have a chance to win. The best way to silence the critics is to win.
