Ahmed Abdelkader, our attacking midfielder, expressed his happiness after wearing Al Ahly's jersey once again following the end of his season loan at Smouha.
Abdelkader sat with us to speak about his ambitions, goals, and dreams with the club after returning once again to El Tetsh Stadium.
Coming Back
“I feel so happy after returning once again to Al Ahly. I had a great season with Smouha, where I managed to score and create many goals. I gained great experience during my time with them, so I would like to thank Al Ahly's officials for giving me this opportunity that helped me to develop. Also, I would like to thank Smouha’s coaching staff."
On His Loan to Smouha
“When I joined Smouha on loan, I was keen to prove my abilities. I knew that Al Ahly’s coaching staff was following me, and that motivated me to put on a great performance. Thank God, I had an excellent time at Smouha and I was able to prove myself. Of course, my time there adds more responsibility to me. Also, the fans have been watching and praising me during my time at Smouha, and now they’ll demand more from me after returning to Al Ahly. I hope I’ll be up to their expectations.”
His Meeting with Mosimane
“I was surprised that coach Pitso Mosimane wanted to speak with me after Al Ahly's game against Smouha. I was so happy. He told me that he has been following me and wants me to continue performing, in the same way, to return to Al Ahly. I am so proud that he has faith in me.”
“Playing under coach Mosimane is a big thing for me. He is a great coach and managed to win five titles with Al Ahly during ten months; any player wants to train with him and the meeting that we had motivated me a lot to come back.”
The Golden Generation
“I was not lucky to be part of the club’s golden generation and to play with Mohamed Aboutrika, Mohamed Barakat, and Wael Gomaa. However, I am glad to be part of the current generation and to play alongside the best players in Africa. They accomplished many achievements just as the previous golden generation did."
"Also, the team has many great players such as Mohamed El Shenawy, Walid Soliman, Saad Samir, Mohamed Magdy Afsha, and Mohamed Sherif. They will give the youngsters more experience and will help them to improve and develop. Therefore, I’m sure that we will keep on winning more titles in the future.”
On Al Ahly's Ninth African Title
“I always watch Al Ahly’s games, and any matchday for Al Ahly is considered a special occasion for me. The CAF Champions League final against Zamalek will always be a special memory. The game’s scenario and Afsha’s goal timing were very special. Everyone thought that the game will head to extra time, and then Afsha scored the winning goal. I was extremely happy and I hope to witness those moments again with Al Ahly and to help the team win the eleventh CAF Champions League title.”
Relationship with his Teammates
“I have a great relationship with all of Al Ahly players. I communicate with them regularly and this will help me adapt faster. Also, I have a great relationship with Hossam Hassan, the team’s new signing, as we used to help each other a lot in Smouha and I hope we can repeat this with Al Ahly.”
His Message to Hossam Hassan
“Hassan is a great player and he will add more power to the team. After the club officially announced his signing, I congratulated him on social media and I told him that everything will be done as we agreed. When I was playing in Smouha, our lockers were next to each other, so we agreed that when he joins Al Ahly, his locker will be next to mine. He is very shy, and I agreed with him that will have our lockers next to each other to help him delve quickly into the team.”
Facing Chelsea
“I dream of facing Chelsea and winning the FIFA Club World Cup title, as everything is possible in football. The team has many great challenges in the upcoming period, as we will play in the CAF Super Cup, Egyptian Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. We are keen to win all these titles, as we want to make our fans happy.”
Ready for Any Challenge
“I am ready for any challenge and I know that I have a great responsibility on me. I play as a playmaker and also as a left-winger, but I will play in any position that the coaching staff feels suitable for me. There will be a tough competition between the players, but it is a great thing and it will help the team.”
The Egyptian Legend
“My idol here in Egypt is the Egyptian legend Mahmoud El Khatib, but my favorite player in the world is Eden Hazard. I love his style, especially when he played with Chelsea, as he was on a good run of form during that period.”
Message to Al Ahly Fans
“I would like to thank Al Ahly fans for their great support and I promise them that we will fight to win all the titles to make them happy.”
