The foreign players in Al-Ahly youth team are among the most important reasons for the decline in the results of «Dubai Knights» this season, although the team tops the list of the Arab Gulf League ranking by a difference of six points from the closest Al-Ain stalkers, but Al-Ahly youth wasted a historic opportunity to win all the local titles.
Shabab Al-Ahly lost the Arab Gulf Cup Super Cup title at the beginning of the season, although he was the strongest candidate to win the title, but lost to Sharjah, who played 10 players, with a penalty shootout, while the team squandered the opportunity to maintain the Arab Gulf Cup title by losing in the final to Al-Nasr, before it The title of the President’s Cup, which he won last season, is wasted by leaving the quarter-finals by losing to Baniyas.
And foreign players were the "weakest link", and one of the reasons for the negative results of the team, as the youth soccer company Al Ahly signed a contract with four new players this season, including the Brazilian Leonardo de Sousa coming from the unit in a free transfer, and Argentine Federico Cartabia on loan. For one season, from Deportivo La Coruna, and Swiss David Mariani on loan until the end of the season from Bulgarian Levski Sofia, while during the winter transfer period, he signed Spaniard Pedro Conde from Baniyas.
For his part, Antar Marzouk, the deputy technical supervisor of Al-Ahly's youth academy, confirmed that through the return of foreign players this season, he sees that Brazilian Leonardo de Souza is the most tender on the field.
Marzouq told «Emirates Today»: «De Souza will ensure the continuation of the next season, for several reasons, most notably that his contract is continuing with the team, in addition to that he appeared at a very good level, and he was one of the most prominent foreign players in terms of level stability, and an impact on the team’s results ».
He added: «comes in the second place Argentine Federico Cartabia, who did not get his full opportunity with Argentine coach Rodolfo Arubarina, as the latter did not settle on a fixed squad, and he involved 25 or 26 players in various matches, while he did not rely on Cartabia mainly, Although the Argentine player proved his presence in the few games he played.
He pointed out that «Cartabia deserves to continue in the next season, in the event of extending his loan from Deportivo La Coruna, or buying his contract, because the Argentine player is able to appear well, provided he gets his full chance.
On the other hand, Marzouq confirmed that both the Moldovan Lovanor Henrique and the Swiss David Mariani did not do what they deserved to continue in the next season, while he talked about the Spaniard Pedro Conde, and said: “Conde undoubtedly appeared very well with Bani Yas, but I see that It is not a condition of his success with (the heavenly) that he appear on the same level with Al-Ahly youth ».
He continued: «In the past seasons, the deals concluded by Al-Ahly youth from the Arab Gulf League clubs are rarely successful, especially at the level of the attack line, and the only exception was the Senegalese player Makhti Diop, while the club contracted many players who did not prove their existence.
He concluded, "We saw Caio Canedo offer excellent offers with Al Wasl, but he did not adapt to the way Al Ain played, so when contracting with a new player, care must be taken that it matches the way the team plays."
Antar Marzouk:
"Leonardo and Cartabia deserve to continue next season."
"Lovanor and Mariani have not done what they deserve to continue."