Zamalek in a Snap: Nasr Presses Ferreira’s Exit, Ending the Belgian Saga
31 October 2025
Ferreira faced widespread fan criticism in recent weeks, and new information shows the club's leadership accelerating the Belgian coach's departure. Hesham Nasr, the club's vice chairman, emerged as the decisive force in speeding up the dismissal and finalizing it.
According to reliable sources, Nasr pressed for a direct and decisive end to Ferreira's tenure after a string of disappointing results.
From Phone Call to Boardroom Decision
The final blow came in a phone call between Nasr and John Edward, the club's sporting director, in which the necessity of Ferreira's departure was conveyed and the board's will was transmitted to the entire squad. There are additional details about moves to oust some assistants, like Mohamed Alaa who served as Ferreira's translator and performance analyst.
The club plans an urgent meeting with Ferreira to end the relationship amicably and avoid a costly severance amid financial challenges.
Context and Next Steps
The decision was fueled by fan anger after the 1-1 draw against Al Bank Al Ahli in the Egyptian Premier League. Since defeats to Al Ahly and a draw with Ghazl El Mahalla, fans have sounded off at every appearance, accusing him of losing control and relying on ineffective tactics against well-organized defenses.
Zamalek sit fourth with 19 points from 11 games (five wins, four draws, two defeats). The decline, along with financial concerns, pushed management to act.
Under Ferreira, Zamalek have dropped 14 points in 11 league games, failing to win in the last four matches, collecting three points from 12 possible in draws with El Gouna, Ghazl El Mahalla, and Al Bank Al Ahli, plus a defeat to Al Ahly. Management believes continuing would risk further underperformance despite new signings.
The crisis deepened after the Bank Al Ahli match when Ferreira refused to attend the post-match press conference, a breach of league rules that led to a fine of 20,000 pounds. Zamalek hopes to improve domestically and continentally in the remaining fixtures.
The General Assembly has stepped in as a supervisory body, with an ordinary meeting set for December 9, focusing on seven key agenda items including the previous minutes, annual report for 2024/2025, budget, and governance issues, including potential member suspensions.
The meeting's agenda includes reviewing the previous meeting's minutes, examining the board's report on activities for 2024/2025, and discussing sport strategy and the working plan for 2025/2026.
Also under discussion are the auditor's report, the budget, and the final accounts, with the budget for the new year on the table for approval, given the current financial pressures.
Members will also consider appointing an auditor and setting their fee, and will review the CEO and CFO salaries to ensure transparency in resource management. The agenda also contemplates proposals from the board and members to be submitted within the legal deadline, and ends with potential suspensions of certain working members, namely Tamer Ahmed Abdul Hamid Mohammed and Hadeer Ibrahim Hussein.
Punchline 1: If football were a sniper rifle, the board just fired the silencer on a long, noisy saga—pew, the drama ends here.
Punchline 2: In football, the only thing sharper than a striker’s finish is a boardroom decision that actually lands—boom, season reset button pressed.
