Wadi Degla reach preliminary agreement with French coach Alexander Lavieti

Wadi Degla have reached a preliminary agreement with French coach Alexander Lavieti over the main terms of a potential deal to take charge of the team.

The club are now completing their assessment before making a final decision on whether to appoint the 29-year-old as their new head coach.

Lavieti has previously held two senior managerial positions, with Ivorian club Stade d’Abidjan and South African side Marumo Gallants. His most recent appointment was at Marumo Gallants last season, when he oversaw 24 matches.

The team won six of those games, drew six and lost 12 under Lavieti. He has also worked with the Paris Saint-Germain youth team.

Wadi Degla announced the departure of Mohamed El-Sheikh after four rounds of the Egyptian Premier League. El-Sheikh’s next move is expected to depend on the offers he receives, with the 33-year-old set to consider his options before reaching a final decision.

The Egyptian Football Association has not contacted El-Sheikh about taking charge of the Olympic team. Shawky Gharib will remain in charge for the next training camp, with no change planned.

El-Sheikh coached Wadi Degla in 50 matches after helping them return to the top flight last season. The team won 19 of those games, drew 18 and lost 13.

The coach’s departure followed disagreements with Wadi Degla officials over a contract renewal after the end of last season. El-Sheikh had requested the inclusion of several additional clauses, while the club did not meet his demands for an increased budget to compete for trophies.

He received serious offers from local clubs during the summer but rejected them before renewing his contract with Wadi Degla. Further disagreements emerged with the club’s football officials after several summer signings were completed.

After the season began, and following a defeat by Modern Sport, El-Sheikh sent a message to his players to encourage them as they prepared for the period ahead. The players were then surprised to learn of his dismissal through the club’s social media accounts.

El-Sheikh’s coaching career

Mohamed Abdullah Hussein, known as Mohamed El-Sheikh, was the youngest coach in this season’s Egyptian Premier League at the age of 33.

He helped Wadi Degla secure promotion to the top division after a strong defensive campaign that saw the club finish second in the Professional League.

El-Sheikh began his playing career with Markaz Shabab Al-Sahel, Shabab Biegam and Plastics, but was forced to retire at the age of 20 after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.

He later worked in administration at Nogoom before moving into coaching, while also qualifying as a second-division referee. He managed Masar for three seasons and helped them reach the third division, then coached Raya and guided them to the same level.

El-Sheikh joined Wadi Degla as an assistant coach before taking charge of the youth team and becoming first-team manager last season. In his first Egyptian Premier League match, he led the club to a goalless draw against African champions Pyramids.

He also secured Wadi Degla’s first historic league victory over Zamalek, a 2-1 win last season, and guided the club to the Egypt League Cup bronze medal in their first appearance.