✅ New Head Coach Arrives in Cairo… Ready to Take Charge
📍Danish manager Jess Thorup arrived in Cairo on Thursday evening, accompanied by his agents, marking his first official appearance as he prepares to take over the helm of Al Ahly’s first football team.
🔴 Thorup will officially begin his duties on Friday, where he is expected to supervise training sessions and start closely assessing the players, in preparation for the upcoming competitions.
📌 Official Agreement: A Two-and-a-Half-Year Contract
📝 Al Ahly SC has officially announced the appointment of Jess Thorup as the head coach of the first team on a two-and-a-half-year contract. The move comes as part of the club’s strategic plan to ensure a high-caliber technical leadership during a pivotal phase of the season, both domestically and continentally.
🔍 The decision to appoint Thorup came after a thorough evaluation of several profiles, with comprehensive input from:
The Planning Committee for Football
The Club’s Sporting Director
The Director of Football
The General Supervisor of the Football Sector
🎯 Thorup was deemed the most suitable candidate both technically and personally, especially in light of the upcoming challenges in major competitions like the CAF Champions League and the Egyptian Premier League.
⚙️ Coaching Staff Still Being Finalized… Expected Within 48 Hours
🔄 Thorup has yet to finalize the full composition of his technical staff. He is currently engaged in intensive consultations to select the most qualified individuals to join him on this new journey in Cairo.
👥 One of the main reasons for the delay is that most of his former assistants from his time at FC Augsburg in Germany are still under contract with their respective clubs, making it necessary to negotiate possible releases or seek alternative candidates.
📆 The full staff lineup is expected to be officially announced within 48 hours, with the rest of the coaching team set to arrive in Cairo on either Saturday or Sunday.
🧑🏫 Expected Members of Thorup’s Coaching Team
The new coaching team that will work alongside Thorup is expected to include:
✅ Two assistant coaches
✅ A fitness coach specialized in training loads
✅ A performance analyst (video & data)
✅ A goalkeeping coach
📌 Agreements have already been reached with the core staff members, and an official announcement will be made once all final arrangements are completed.
💼 Contract Finalization Led by Recruitment Department
🎯 Osama Hilal, Director of Recruitment and Scouting at Al Ahly, oversaw all administrative and financial aspects of the deal, coordinating with various departments involved in the football operation.
🤝 Negotiations covered technical, financial, and legal matters, in addition to arranging housing and logistics for the coach and his staff, ensuring a smooth and well-prepared start for the new technical team.
⚽ The Next Phase… Under the Spotlight
👀 Al Ahly fans have high expectations for their new Danish head coach, especially at a time when the team needs tactical and performance stability after a period of inconsistent results.
🎯 The club is relying heavily on Thorup’s European experience and philosophy to build a competitive squad capable of contending for all titles, particularly with the CAF Champions League group stage approaching, along with the start of the domestic league campaign.
