A dispute has erupted between Essam Ekramy, former goalkeeper for Al Ahly and the Egyptian national team, and Sayed Abdelhafiz, the former football director at Al Ahly, regarding the club’s recruitment of a new goalkeeper during the current winter transfer window.
This comes after Mohamed El-Shennawy suffered a dislocated shoulder during the Egypt-Ghana match in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, sidelining him for at least three months.
In a television statement to MBC Egypt, Ekramy stated, “Mustafa Shobier should be given a chance as Al Ahly’s goalkeeper,” emphasizing, “Mustafa Shobier has the capabilities to be Al Ahly’s first-choice goalkeeper.”
He added, “The point of disagreement with Sayed Abdelhafiz is whether, if Al Ahly signs a new goalkeeper, will he come to sit on the bench? I believe any goalkeeper from the top players would accept moving to Al Ahly and sitting on the bench for Mustafa Shobier.”
“I see that Al Ahly is giving Mustafa his chance, along with Hamza Alaa as the second goalkeeper and Mustafa Mekhlouf as the third.
Al Ahly must maintain a cadre in the goalkeeping position,” Ekramy continued.
Abdelhafiz responded to Ekramy’s statements, saying, “I have great confidence in Mustafa Shobier, but I am speaking from an organizational perspective.
Should a big club like Al Ahly, due to an unfortunate injury to Shobier, take the risk and continue the season with a goalkeeper from 2005 or 2006?”
Ekramy countered, saying, “Al Ahly doesn’t face many attacks from competitors.
I played when I was young, and young goalkeepers need to gain confidence.”
