Briefs

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OBITUARY: Abdu Saleh El-Wahsh (1929-2008)

MOHAMED Abdu Saleh El-Wahsh, who set the technical standards in African football, died on 21 May in a Cairo hospital after a prolonged illness. He was 79.

The former technical director of the African Football Federation (1986-1998), El-Wahsh, known by the name "Captain", was a pioneer member of the FIFA technical committee.

He was the first ever technical director of CAF and shifted the game in the continent technically after teaching African coaches the ethics of football. Many of the coaches are now in charge of clubs or national teams of their countries.

El-Wahsh also served as president of the Egyptian FA and was chairman of Africa's most successful club, Ahli, from 1988-1992

El-Wahsh played for Zamalek and Ahli in the 40s, then for Egypt in the fifties. He left the game early to continue his studies in soccer in Egypt and Germany. He also trained Ahli's youth and first teams, other Arab clubs, and Egypt's national team.

El-Wahsh is survived by his Dutch wife, son and daughter Walid and Nadia, and six grandchildren.

WC qualifiers

EGYPT will meet DR Congo in their opening match of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers on Sunday in Egypt without key players due to injuries.

Mohamed Abou-Treika pulled out due to a knee injury. Coach Hassan Shehata opted not to risk the Ahli playmaker who was instrumental in Egypt's 2008 African Cup of Nations triumph. It is also believed that Abou-Treika was on his way to Germany for a knee operation.

International midfielder Mohamed Shawki is also absent from the squad for the opening match due to an injury. The midfielder was left out of the last match of his English premiership side Middlesbrough due to back pains he has been suffering from in recent weeks.

The 30-man list includes Zamalek ace Shikabala, who was selected for the first time since his one-year ban in July 2007. Even though the 22-year-old still has two months to serve, the Egyptian FA accepted Shehata's plea to lift the ban.

A host of uncapped players were handed rare call-ups, including Enppi trio Ahmed Raouf, Islam Awad and Abdel-Aziz Tawfik.

Ahli skipper Shadi Mohamed was overlooked despite being a key member of Egypt's 2008 African Cup of Nations victory in Ghana.

Shehata insisted on calling up Essam El-Hadari. The in- form goalkeeper stirred huge controversy when he joined Swiss side Sion without the consent of his team Ahli. Ahli fans were outraged by El-Hadari's move and called for his omission as did several pundits. However, Shehata opted to include the 35-year-old goalie in Egypt's squad.

Tottenham-bound Hossam Ghali, whose loan spell with Derby County ended after the Rams were relegated, was also named. The former Ahli man did not take part in Egypt's Nations Cup campaign upon his request as he was busy completing the move to Derby.

The six-time African champions begin their Group 12 qualification at home against DR Congo. The Egyptian squad moved to Alexandria on Monday as they prepare to host the Leopards on Sunday. The Pharaohs will play their first four qualifiers on successive weekends in June. In the same group, they will play an away match to Djibouti and a home match against Malawi.

Egyptians believe the forthcoming qualifiers present their team's best chance of securing another World Cup ticket, given the favourable first round draw and the back-to-back wins in the African Cup of Nations.

Analysts believe the North Africans could easily win all the matches in the first round, with the tie against DR Congo expected to provide the biggest test.

Egypt last qualified for the World Cup in 1990 and exited that tournament in the first round.