Zamalek: Shooting for the Stars
The ancient, densely populated city of Cairo is a sprawling hub of activity, mystery, intrigue and pilgrimage. The mighty Nile river that feeds this metropolis is home to the borough of Zamalek, situated on Gezira Island near the centre of the city.
Football's status as Egypt's most popular sport is highlighted by the fact that its two biggest teams, Zamalek and bitter rivals Al-Ahly, outgrew their own grounds and moved to the 75,000 capacity Cairo International Stadium.
Amongst the club's numerous honours are 12 domestic league titles, 24 domestic cup wins, and 5 CAF Champion's League trophies. They've proven their mettle at home and at continental level, but now, as the New World Order of football sees the structure of the sport shaken to its foundations, comes Zamalek's chance to prove themselves globally.
So just how do a club like this compete with titans such as Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich? Chairman Mortada Mansour's first step was to recruit English manager Kev Wright, a man who is convinced he has what it takes to ensure a growth in the ability and stature of the club.
"Zamalek is a very big club", say's Wright, "we might not be a household name in the UK, but I'm hopeful that will change in the next few seasons. The infrastructure here is currently of a level whereby we can accommodate growth, and we have an Olympic standard stadium that can comfortably host matches at the very highest level, and that's where we want to be."
Cairo International Stadium
It's not just the manager who's a newcomer to Zamalek. There has been a near complete overhaul of the team since Wright took over. "The way the New World Order is structured gives us a fantastic opportunity, and it's one we can't risk wasting. The likes of Juventus and Paris Saint Germain still have some of the biggest names in the sport, not to mention huge revenues. There's every chance that some of these giants could rise through the leagues very quickly, so we need to be prepared for that and ensure that we have a talented batch of youngsters who want to stay here and develop and hopefully become world class. If we don't think ahead, then we risk blowing our chance."
It has to be said that the youth team is looking in rude health, with many hot prospects from around the world choosing to enhance their careers in Cairo. German midfielder Timothy Tillman has joined from Bayern Munich, from Manchester United comes under 17s World Cup winner Angel Gomes (pictured, right, lifting the World Cup with England), the much-hyped Reiss Nelson has been signed from Arsenal, and Brazilian starlet Arthur Melo arrives from Gremino, just weeks after his first call up to the senior national team. This is merely a small selection of the fifteen young players added to the academy, all of whom are predicted to have stellar careers ahead of them.
Despite this care and attention to providing ongoing stability at Zamalek, Wright is under no illusions about the task in hand. "I'm over the moon with the young guys we've been able to bring in", he states proudly, "but we have to be careful. These lads want a future here, so it's up to the first team to ensure they can reach the top with us. Division 1 could be a real dogfight this season, because everyone realises that relegation might just prove disastrous long term. It only takes a few things to go wrong and you could find yourself dropping down through the leagues. We need to avoid that at all costs, which is why we've brought in so many experienced names who know what it takes to win."
He's not wrong. A look at their team sheet reveals impressive names with impressive records. Talisman Mario Gomez (pictured, left, scoring for Germany) has multiple Bundesliga titles and a Champion's League winner's medal in his collection, not to mention 71 caps (and counting) for Germany. French international Yohan Cabaye can list league titles and domestic cups with both Lille and Paris Saint German, his international team mate Bacary Sagna has picked up silverware with Auxerre, Arsenal and Manchester City. Gael Clichy comes with a trio of English Premier League titles, Serdar Tasci with German and Russian titles, the list goes on.
When quizzed as to whether these players have their best days behind them, Wright is pragmatic. "Having experience doesn't mean you're past it. If you look at our squad, the oldest player on our books is Vincent Enyeama at 35, and that's not past it for a goalkeeper. The average age of our first team is 31, so I'm confident that the vast majority of these players have another few seasons at the top left yet. No one is here for one final season and one final paycheck, we're all here to take Zamalek forward, and we have a host of young talent waiting in the wings."
Egypt and Cairo itself have played pivotal rolls in the history of mankind for millennia, be it agriculture, technology, religion or trade, this bountiful land on the cusp of the Nile delta has been known and respected since antiquity. Could its next contribution be to become home to one of the global superpowers of football? Wright laughs. "Well, we've got a long way to go outdo the Pyramids! But those monuments can provide a lot of inspiration to us. What we're trying to do here is to build, and if this wonderful city was able to build one of the greatest and most famous landmarks on Earth, then I'm sure creating one of the greatest football clubs on the planet isn't out of the question!"
