Amir Mortada Takes a Shot at Shikabala and Chooses Sides in Egypt’s Club Showdown
5 March 2026
Key moments and quotes
Amir Mortada Mansour, the former head of football operations at Zamalek, sent a pointed message to the club's former captain, Mahmoud Abdel Razak Shikabala, while simultaneously taking aim at the current board.
In remarks during his interview on the Secrets program on Al-Nahar TV, he argued that Sayed Abdel-Hafiz of Al Ahly and Hany Saeed of Pyramids are more competent than John Edward of Zamalek for handling football affairs.
Leadership talk and league hopes
Asked about appointing a foreign coach for the national team, he replied that, at this moment, he would pick Hassan Hassan.
He joked that if he were president of Al Ahly for one day, his first decision would be to sell Al Ahly to Zamalek.
Amir elaborated that the most loyal fans of Zamalek may be Shikabala, Ahmed Suleiman and Hussein Labib, and that their statements could harm the club, hoping Zamalek would win the league this season—a historic one if achieved, even as chaotic elements persist.
Amir added that while Shikabala remains a beloved symbol for the club’s fans, he is upset that the captain no longer checks in after his departure from the club’s football administration.
He insisted the club can still win the league thanks to its players and fans, adding that any triumph would not reflect well on the current board since it is part of the problem.
He suggested that Hazem Imam could lead the club if backed by a board he approves of, while naming Amr Al-Janayni, Ayman Mamdouh Abbas, Ashraf Sobhi, Ayman Younis and Gamal Al-Adl as not fit to lead Zamalek at present.
