Al-Ahly club officials have firmly rejected calls to dismiss Moroccan head coach Houcine Ammouta following mounting fan frustration and a string of tense internal disciplinary disputes. Despite public discontent over the team’s playing style, the club maintains that the manager’s unbeaten record across ten matches secures his immediate position.
Disciplinary Tensions and Squad Friction Under Ammouta
Behind the scenes at Al-Ahly, the relationship between Houcine Ammouta and several members of the squad has grown increasingly strained. Tensions flared during recent fixtures, drawing scrutiny from management and supporters alike. Forward Ali Mahmoud found himself entirely frozen out of matchday squads after an angry objection to being substituted during a clash with Al Mokawloon Al Arab. Similarly, Ahmed Reda saw his playing time vanish following a disagreement linked to his exclusion ahead of a league fixture against El Qanah.
Senior figures have not been immune to the turbulence. Defender Yasser Ibrahim faced mandatory exclusion from crucial fixtures due to stalled contract renewal talks—an administrative matter handled separately from technical choices—before injuries further interrupted his playing time. At the same time, high-profile names such as Imam Ashour and Mohamed Hany have seen their minutes curtailed amid a mixture of tactical decisions and ongoing contract negotiations. Director of football Wael Gomaa responded to the social media fallout from these disputes by issuing a strict warning to the players, threatening heavy financial penalties for any digital outbursts directed at the coaching staff.
Al-Ahly Leadership Refuses to Dismiss Moroccan Coach
Despite the dressing-room friction and vocal fan protests demanding a change—which echoed through the stands during a narrow 1-0 victory over Modern Sport at Cairo International Stadium—club president Mahmoud El Khatib and the football committee have flatly refused to dismiss the Moroccan coach. Internal assessments point to a shared responsibility between the technical staff and the players regarding the team’s underwhelming performances, but the club’s leadership insists that stability remains paramount.
The football administration at Al-Ahly is displeased with the team’s performance .. and it is unreasonable to dismiss a coach who has not been defeated yet.
Ibrahim Abdel Gawad, via ONTime Sports
The defensive arithmetic firmly supports the manager’s retention. Across all competitions, Ammouta has steered the squad through 10 matches without a single defeat, securing eight victories and two draws. Club executives argue that making a managerial change mid-season would send a damaging signal, particularly given that the team has already cycled through multiple coaches since the summer of 2025. Al-Ahly currently sits second in the Egyptian Premier League table with 20 points, trailing Pyramids, while having successfully advanced to the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Club Adds Performance Analyst to Technical Staff
While leadership has decided against an immediate coaching change, preparations are underway to fine-tune the technical framework during the upcoming international break. The club intends to integrate an Egyptian performance analyst into Ammouta’s coaching staff to address tactical shortcomings. Regular weekly meetings between football management and the technical staff continue as normal, focusing on upcoming domestic challenges, including a high-stakes league fixture against Pyramids, and evaluating winter transfer targets to reinforce the squad.
"إدارة الكرة بالأهلي مستاءة من أداء الفريق .. ومن غير المعقول إقالة مدرب لم يهزم حتى الآن"🖐️إبراهيم عبد الجواد يكشف عن رد الأهلي حول مصير الحسين عموتة مع الفريق 🦅#ملعب_ON pic.twitter.com/7ahaDvqbPB