Al Ahly is experiencing a state of disagreement among its board members regarding the future of coach Marcel Koller, given the club’s recent decline in performances and results.
Al Ahly’s hard-fought 1-1 draw with Pyramids FC undermined the Red Devils’ chances of retaining the Egyptian Premier League title, with the gap between them and the leaders now four points.
The team has been performing poorly under Koller recently, with doubts about the effectiveness of his technical decisions leading a large segment of fans to demand that he end his tenure at the Gezira Stadium.
According to Egyptian media reports, there are two opinions regarding Koller’s situation. The first is that he should be dismissed immediately, rather than waiting until the CAF Champions League semi-finals.
The second opinion is that confidence in Koller should be renewed and that he should continue as Al Ahly’s coach in the Club World Cup, and that things will improve with time.
Whether for or against, officials are aware that Koller’s departure will cost Al Ahly a significant amount of money, as Mahmoud El Khatib’s management will have to pay the $800,000 release clause in the Swiss coach’s contract.
On the other hand, the lack of time is the most important obstacle to his dismissal. Al Ahly faces Sundowns in the Champions League semi-finals next week, in addition to the fierce competition in the Egyptian Premier League.
The final point that suggests the coach will continue until the situation in Africa is clear is the lack of attractive coaches on the scene.
Thus, it seems likely that Koller will continue at least until the two matches against Sundowns are over. However, if he exits the competition in the semi-finals, he will not be Al Ahly’s coach at the Club World Cup.
