CAIRO: Ahly assistant coach Hossam Al-Badri responded coyly to claims suggesting he would succeed Manuel Jose when the Portuguese leaves next year.
Head coach Jose revealed last weekend that he will not see an extension to his contract after next season, and the case overshadowed the post-match conference of Ahly s 0-0 draw at Ghazl Mahalla.
Jose s declaration stirred speculation over the Ahly hot seat, but Al-Badri, who is considered a major candidate, refused to comment on his own chances of taking the job.
I am really sorry; I don t want to comment on this. All I can say is that everything could happen in football, said the Ahly second man after the game in Mahalla.
Speaking of the draw, which saw the league leaders gap with Ismaili reduced to one point, Al-Badri believes that his side was unlucky against a resilient Mahalla.
Jose s substitutions turned the game in our favor, but we were unlucky not to score, he said.
In the first half, the game was evenly-balanced and both teams played conservatively, but in the second half we were in control.