Manuel Jose to Egypt Today: My coaching days are over...it’s family time now

CAIRO – 30 April 2017: Manuel Jose is regarded as one of the most successful club coaches in CAF competitions. His name is synonymous with Al Ahly SC glory. Among the club’s performance highlights was in 2005 which is marked as a landmark season in Ahly's illustrious history. 46 matches were played in the Egyptian Premier League, Egyptian Cup, Egyptian Super Cup and CAF Champions League, with Al Ahly remaining unbeaten in all of them, besides winning 5 from all 6 trophies.

Egypt Today talked with Jose about his retirement decision and his relationship with Egyptians.

On his retirement:
“I’ve been coaching for 36 years now; I am not tired but its family time now. I can say my retirement is because of family reasons, so it’s a fact that I will never coach any club again.”

On Nogoom El Mostakbal FC:
“I don’t want to talk about this, I’m very sad about it. I had a dinner with coaches and doctors I worked with to thank them and say I’m sorry but it wasn’t my fault. Sorry for all families and kids in the academy. The thing is I wanted to support poor talents and make them professionals as a way to thank Egyptians but it didn’t work out.” (Referring to the organization’s (which sponsors young budding athletic, typically disfranchised, talents) dissolution.)

On his relationship with Egyptians:
“I want to thank Egyptian people for everything; ‘‘Thank you’’ is never enough. Egyptians love and respect me. Not only here in Cairo, I had a great affection from Alexandria too. I love staying here in Egypt and I’m going to decide by next month whether I am going to stay for some more time.”

On coaching national teams and problems with authorities:
“I’ve always been called the coach of people, not authorities. I’ve always had problems with authorities even in Portugal as I’m not a puppet and I don’t take orders. In 2004, I had an agreement to coach Portugal national team but I had a fight with bosses, bad guys. We use our talents to achieve what we want but we face obstacles and that’s what happened to me, but at the end I’m 71 years now and when I look at mirror, I am not ashamed of myself, I know that my dignity is more important. I’ve stayed in Portugal 16 years and here in Egypt 8 years and I can say that all people here and there love me and respect me.”