Ceramica Cleopatra coach Ali Maher urges patience for Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet after Al Ahly clash

Ali Maher walked into the press room at Cairo International Stadium with calm dignity after Ceramica Cleopatra’s narrow 1-0 loss to Al Ahly in the Egyptian League.

The coach chose to focus on pride rather than frustration, reminding everyone of the quality his players showed under the lights of one of the most difficult arenas in the country.

Maher openly admitted the first half was not good enough but praised the second half display.

“My team put in a great effort, and I admit that our performance wasn’t great in the first half, but we managed to reach Al Ahly’s goal after numerous attempts,” he said

The coach stressed that his side attacked where others often sat back. He admired his players’ courage and underlined the importance of developing strong personalities on the pitch. He also highlighted the leadership of Amr El-Soulia and set a bold target of finishing in the top four.

Reflecting on former trainee Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, Maher added: “Trezeguet is now a great player, and fans shouldn’t be harsh on him, especially since he’s such an influential star.”