Al Ahly divides focus : heart in AFCON, mind on Asian Championship
As the African Cup of Nations captures the spotlight this January, Al Ahly’s scouting committee, known as ‘Al Iscouting,’ places an equal emphasis on the Asian Cup, with both tournaments coinciding this month.
The Asian Cup, as crucial to Al Ahly as the African Nations Cup, sees the participation of the Egyptian national team, featuring eight players from Al Ahly: Mohamed El Shenawy, Yasser Ibrahim, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim, Mohamed Hani, Marwan Mohsen, Emam Ashour, Mahmoud Kahraba, and Omar Kamal.
Additionally, three others, Ali Maaloul, Percy Tau, and Aliou Dieng, represent Tunisia, South Africa, and Mali, respectively.
Al Ahly’s scouting team meticulously monitors both continental competitions, actively seeking standout players.
The African Nations Cup, held in January, offers the prospect of securing new foreign talents, either under or over the age threshold, in the current transfer window or post-season.
Simultaneously, Al Ahly’s ‘Al Iscouting’ committee follows the Palestine national team’s matches, eyeing potential recruits to fortify positions experiencing shortages within the club.
This strategy echoes the success story of Danish-Palestinian player Wisam Abu Ali, illustrating the committee’s strategic approach to player recruitment.
The completion of the foreign player roster at Al Ahly has prompted a focus on recruiting Palestinian players, treated as locals within Egyptian clubs’ lists.
This unique status spares clubs the foreign player quota and leaves the door open for the signing of Palestinian talents.
Among the committee’s key objectives during the Asian Cup is the observation of Yasser Hamed, former player for Al Masry and current member of the Palestinian national team.
The report generated from his performance in the championship will assist in determining his potential addition to Al Ahly or reconsideration of the pursuit.
