Mohamed Al-Assal, the Development Director of Finnish club FC Kiekko-Kuopio, revealed unknown aspects of José Rivero’s story, the expected head coach of Al Ahly, emphasizing that his journey holds many surprises that could change the fans’ perception of the coach.
Al-Assal said that Rivero began his career as a "taxi driver" before becoming a plumber in South Africa, then launched his coaching career in Finland, where he started as an assistant coach at PK-35 during a time when the team was struggling with relegation to the second division. He explained that this period was a major turning point in Rivero’s professional life, as he took on more responsibility after leaving his position as Development Director in the youth sector.

Al-Assal confirmed that Rivero has a skilled agent who helped him build his image and promote himself, which was a key reason for his arrival at Al Ahly. However, he pointed out some misinformation circulating about the coach’s background, such as claims that he coached the Spanish team Celta Vigo, which Al-Assal said were completely false, and these rumors led to the nickname "taxi driver."

He noted that Rivero’s second major experience was with Finnish club HJK Helsinki, the country’s biggest club, where he worked as an assistant coach. However, this period was not very successful. Al-Assal considered that having Amr Gamal, Al Ahly’s former star, at the same club influenced Rivero to refocus his ambitions on the African continent, which he sees as an easier opportunity for success compared to European leagues, especially given the relatively small differences in physical and technical levels between Africa and Finland.

Al-Assal addressed the rumors about Rivero’s large salary, reportedly reaching 140,000 euros per month, describing the figure as exaggerated and illogical given the coach’s capabilities and career in Finland, where he earned only between 5,000 and 10,000 euros monthly. Despite this, he noted that Al Ahly has an environment that supports any coach’s success, even if the start is not ideal.

Regarding the reactions in Finland to Rivero’s appointment at Al Ahly, Al-Assal said that people were surprised, commonly believing that his level does not justify such a big contract, but he emphasized that football differs everywhere, and success depends on many factors.

About Rivero’s requests to remove Emad El Nahhas and Mohamed Shawky from the coaching staff, Al-Assal explained that it would have been better for Al Ahly to rely on a mix of a foreign assistant coach along with a homegrown coach, as seen in Aliou Cissé’s experience with the Senegal national team. He added that both El Nahhas and Shawky deserve more opportunities — El Nahhas, despite lacking academic experience, is an experienced player, and Shawky has the potential to become a head coach.

On Rivero’s chances of success with Al Ahly, Al-Assal affirmed that the club has all the necessary ingredients for success and that Rivero is a good coach but may face major challenges in local league competitions, especially against strong coaches like Ayman Ramadi of Zamalek and Jorichitch of Pyramids. He noted that the experience will not necessarily be easy or historic.

Al-Assal concluded by saying that Rivero tends to avoid direct confrontations with players, which could affect team dynamics. He added that the Finnish league is ranked among the third tiers in Europe but offers good opportunities for emerging players and coaches to move to more advanced European leagues such as Belgium, Norway, and Denmark. This environment shaped Rivero’s coaching background before moving to work in the Middle East and Africa.