Ghazl El Mahalla equal worst Egyptian Premier League start since 2015-16

Ghazl El Mahalla have matched their worst start to an Egyptian Premier League season since 2015-16 after collecting just one point from their opening four matches.

The Delta club drew with ENPPI but have lost their other three games, against Pyramids FC, Modern Sport FC and National Bank of Egypt.

The poor run has placed pressure on manager Ahmed Khattab, with Ghazl El Mahalla currently bottom of the table. Their record after four rounds is the same as it was in 2015-16, a season which ended with the club being relegated to the second division.

The 2011-12 campaign remains their worst opening to a league season. Ghazl El Mahalla had no points after four matches that year, conceding 13 goals and scoring only once.

Ghazl El Mahalla began last season with four consecutive goalless draws and had four points at the same stage under manager Alaa Abdel Aal.

The club’s current situation has also prompted speculation about a possible change in the dugout. Spanish coach Juan Carlos Garrido was present in the stands at Cairo International Stadium while Ghazl El Mahalla played National Bank of Egypt, leading to questions about his involvement with the team.

A source at Ghazl El Mahalla explained Garrido’s presence to FilGoal.com, saying: “One agent offered Juan Carlos Garrido to coach the team as a successor to Ahmed Khattab because of the poor results.”

The source added: “The Spanish coach was in the stands to watch the match against National Bank of Egypt, and he will also attend the upcoming match against Zamalek.”

Garrido has previously managed a number of clubs, but no appointment has been made and Khattab remains in charge for now. Ghazl El Mahalla’s management is considering waiting until after the Zamalek fixture before selecting a new head coach.

“The Ghazl management prefers to appoint the new head coach after the Zamalek match so that he has enough opportunity to prepare the team during the international break,” the source said.

The international break would give any incoming manager time to assess the squad and work on preparations before the league resumes. The club has several names under consideration, rather than a single confirmed candidate.

“Garrido will make his decision after watching the team, and there are more candidates, including Abdel Hamid Bassiouny, Haitham Shaaban and a Moroccan coach,” the source added.

Garrido’s attendance at the match therefore appears to have been part of an assessment process, with the former coach expected to decide whether to pursue the opportunity after watching Ghazl El Mahalla in action.

For now, Ghazl El Mahalla remain bottom of the Egyptian Premier League with one point from four matches, having scored only once in the competition and already equalled the club’s lowest return at this stage since the 2015-16 season.