Al Ahly head coach Jes Thorup has explained his decision to start Mostafa Shobeir ahead of long-time first choice Mohamed El Shenawy, insisting competition and squad management were central to the call as the Egyptian giants moved top of their CAF Champions League group.
Shobeir was handed a rare start in Friday’s 2-0 victory over Young Africans at the Army Stadium in Borg El Arab, a result that lifted Al Ahly to seven points after three matches and strengthened their position at the summit of the group.
The selection raised eyebrows given El Shenawy’s status, but Thorup was clear that the choice was deliberate and part of a broader philosophy.
“Before the Young Africans match, I held a meeting with Mohamed El Shenawy and Mostafa Shobeir and informed them that they are competing for this position, just like all the players in the team. This creates a competitive atmosphere among the players,” the Danish coach said. “We always work to create competition in every position, so that every player feels there is someone else who can take his place.”
Thorup stressed that the congested schedule facing Al Ahly across domestic and continental competitions makes squad rotation unavoidable.
“We are facing many matches in the league and the CAF Champions League, and we will need all the players. Certainly, everyone will get opportunities to start, and you will see that in the match against Wadi Degla next Tuesday,” he added.
Beyond the selection debate, Thorup highlighted the broader significance of the win, particularly after a disrupted period caused by international call-ups. “
Al Ahly played a strong match against Young Africans after a long break, especially with the international players having been away from training with their teammates. That required time to return to the right technical level, and today’s win brought us many positives,” he said.
He underlined the psychological value of the result, noting: “Winning and going top of our Champions League group with seven points, as well as gaining a new boost of confidence, are among the many benefits from this match. All of that represents a good start to the new year.”
Thorup also reserved praise for new striker Marwan Osman, who was trusted with a starting role.
“Marwan Osman, the new striker who featured with us today, is a good player with strong and distinctive qualities. We have great confidence in him, which is why we decided to start him. I think he delivered an excellent performance that deserves praise,” he said, before underlining his collective mindset: “What matters is not who scores, but that the wins continue.”
