Al Ahly can decide my future, says ‘under-pressure’ coach Jess Thorup after Champions League exit

Al Ahly head coach Jess Thorup has remained measured in the wake of his team’s shocking CAF Champions League elimination, insisting that decisions about his future rest with the club’s hierarchy, not himself.

“It is not for me to decide that. I will do my job and perform my duty as long as the administration is holding on to me, and I will not do anything that others think I am doing. I know that this is a difficult time for the club and its fans, and it is not for me to decide that. There are other officials who decide that,” Thorup said, as per WinWin.

The Danish coach also reflected candidly on Al Ahly’s performance against Tunisian side Esperance, who eliminated the Egyptian giants after a 3-2 victory on Saturday night.

“I will not discuss the team’s statistics under my leadership. Some people include the Capital Cup numbers in the number of goals conceded by the team. I do not count that, but this is the third consecutive match in which we have conceded goals, and in the last 20 minutes of today’s match, all the players lost focus because they started thinking about the consequences of conceding the second goal,” he added.

The defeat marked a historic low for Al Ahly, who for the first time in their continental history lost both legs of a knockout tie in the Champions League.

With the club now facing tough questions from fans and media alike, Thorup emphasized his commitment to professionalism amid uncertainty, vowing to continue his duties while awaiting the administration’s decision.

Al Ahly now turns its attention to domestic competitions, seeking to regroup and stabilize ahead of a crucial stretch in the Egyptian Premier League and domestic cup tournaments.