Patience, Projects, and Pyramids: Ferreira's Call for Time as Zamalek Rebuilds

Patience Is Part of the Plan

Belgian-born Yanick Ferreira, the coach of Zamalek, urged the club’s fans to be patient with the rebuild and to give the coaching staff the time they deserve, stressing that hasty criticism can derail any project.

Speaking at a press conference in front of a group of reporters on Thursday, he addressed Zamalek’s issues and the realities behind the White Castle’s internal work.

Zamalek have struggled for results lately under Ferreira, failing to win in the last three league games, drawing with El Gouna and Al Mahalla and losing to arch rivals Al Ahly.

They have dropped from the league summit and are now second with 18 points, level on goal difference with the leaders El Masry, while Al Ahly sit on the same points with a game in hand.

Ferreira said that they are starting a brand new project, and any project needs time. The pyramids were not built in a day, and the same idea applies to Zamalek—we need time.

He added that quick criticism ruins any project. The coach must believe in his players; I trust them and care about them personally, and I am sure that someday we will reap the rewards of our hard work.

The Biggest Enemy

Ferreira’s most frank remarks focused on the financial crisis, which he described as the principal problem affecting the squad and its performances.

He continued that there is a financial crisis and players have families who need money. There are difficult things to handle quickly for every player.

Ferreira admitted he does not have the power to pay salaries, saying that he does not have the authority to pay the players, but that the club can talk to ease the burden and address the difficulties.

I personally tried to support younger players financially, which shows the scale of the crisis and its impact on their mental state.

This statement should be a wake up call for the club’s management to intervene immediately to settle overdue payments, because financial motivation has become a major hurdle for any tactical plan.

Ferreira denied rumors about his future or a rift with club president Hussein Labib, illustrating how rumors can affect the team’s atmosphere.

He also said that in recent times he has not met Hussein Labib, and that every day reports surface about meetings that did not take place, so there is no basis for departure talk with the president.

He added that he feels supported by the entire council at the latest meeting, but implicitly tied that to the condition that if something happens he will speak truthfully with everyone.

He denied any intention to remove any player, citing rumors about wanting to sack Abdul Hamid Ma Ali, to emphasize that much of what is circulating about the squad is not true.

Ferreira directed a message to the press that the coach wants news rather than anger, lamenting that discussions have shifted toward personal anger rather than professional analysis.

He also said that sometimes he feels the journalist has become a fan and speaks to him in that spirit after matches, and that press conferences should be about news rather than venting anger.

Ferreira stressed that he speaks honestly about his team’s performance and will not hesitate to call it weak if it is not good, as shown in the 2-1 defeat to Wadi Degla.

He denied any rift with the club’s new signing Baron Oshing, insisting that the relationship with the newcomers remains stable.

He explained the absence of Mahmoud Gihad, saying the player is injured and undergoing a rehabilitation program, which explains his lack of recent appearances.

Ferreira’s press conference served as a comprehensive reckoning for the club. The coach linked the financial crisis clearly to poor results, urged swift administrative action to rescue the season, and asked fans for patience.

His closing message is that this is not only a technical problem but a systemic crisis starting with overdue payments and ending with anxiety across media platforms.

Zamalek will begin their CAF Confederation Cup campaign next Saturday, facing Dikdaha SC of Somalia in the first leg of the round of 32.

Punchline: If patience were a sponsor, Zamalek would finally have a full trophy cabinet next season.

Punchline: The pyramids were built with bigger budgets and longer timelines; football clubs could learn a thing or two about planning from ancient Egypt.