Egypt’s Ahly appoints El-Badry head coach

Egyptian club Ahly appointed former coach Hossam El-Badry as the team's head coach on Sunday to succeed outgoing Portuguese tactician Manuel Jose Da Silva, who announced his departure from the Red Devils on Friday. The 66-year-old Da Silva was reportedly unsatisfied with the situation in Egypt, given the uncertain future of Egyptian football following February's Port Said Stadium disaster in which scores were killed and which led to the indefinite suspension of all domestic football activity. According to Ahram Sport, ENNPI coach El-Badry agreed to begin his second spell as Ahly manager for a two-season period following a Sunday meeting with club vice president Mahmoud El-Khatib. It was reportedly agreed that both assistant coach Mohamed Youssef and football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz would remain at their posts, while both Osama Orabi and Tarek Soliman would be appointed first assistant coach and goalkeepers’ trainer, respectively. El-Badry served as Da Silva's assistant at Ahly for years before taking over from him in 2009. In the same year, he led the club to its 35th Egyptian Premier League title. And in the same season, the Cairo giants made it to the Egypt Cup final and the African Champions League semi-final before being knocked out after a 3-1 loss to Ismaily in the 2010/11 domestic league. His next move was to Sudanese club Merreikh, with whom he clinched the domestic title last season to end the team's three-year trophy drought. His successes had moved the club’s board to try to extend his contract, but El-Badry preferred to return to his native Egypt. Last December, the 52-year-old coach signed a two-year contract with petroleum club ENNPI, succeeding Mokhtar Mokhtar. El-Badry managed to pull the club from the bottom of the Egyptian Premier League, with the team delivering several strong showings before the tournament was halted in the wake of the Port Said disaster. El-Badry spent his entire playing career as a defender at Ahly. In 1984, a serious knee injury forced him to retire prematurely.