View Full Version : Arsenal set up shop in Egypt
dwinkler
22 Nov 2003, 06:25 PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/3229244.stm
The only other Egyptian player I've ever heard of is Mido, formerly of Ajax now with Marseille. I have no idea if this area of the world is a potential soccer hotbed, although I did see that Egypt beat Sweden in a friendly last week. Maybe this will help us corner the market on upcoming young Egyptian talent.
BayouGooner
22 Nov 2003, 07:18 PM
Ibrahim Said was on loan at Everton last season for a short while I believe. I applaud the effort actually. Egypt hosts 2 of the largest and most succesful clubs (Zamalek, Al-Ahly) in Africa. There's an intense rivalry between the two and thery're both perrenial challengers for the African Champions Cup. Mido's supposed to be a pretty good young player, but my feeling is that soccer is really underdeveloped in Egypt. You hardly see any Egyptian players playing abroad. Perhaps Arsenal's influence will help to unearth talent and remedy the situation.
asfoolasiam
22 Nov 2003, 09:26 PM
I'm probably hallucinating, but isn't Shabaan of Egyptian extraction?
ArsenalTexan3
22 Nov 2003, 09:54 PM
He is 1/2 Egyption I believe and the other half is Swedish. Could be mistaken though.
BayouGooner
22 Nov 2003, 10:04 PM
You are correct.
jegerpenge
22 Nov 2003, 11:27 PM
yes, and last i heard, he was not getting the starting position away from magnus hedman on sweden, so he was going to become keeper for the egyptian national team. this was, of course, before he broke his leg. he impressed me last season before his accident, so i'm hoping he gets fit soon
Coach_McGuirk
23 Nov 2003, 12:46 AM
Has he appeared with Sweden in an international match? I thought he was on a roster for some game a while back. If that's the case, no Egyptian football for him.
BayouGooner
23 Nov 2003, 12:55 AM
Even if Shabaan was named to Sweden's roster, but didn't play (which I think is the scenario) he doesn't get a cap. If he isn't capped then he's elligible to switch. I very well could be wrong, but I've seen this situation before but the player's name escapes me.
Coach_McGuirk
23 Nov 2003, 01:23 AM
You may be right. Someone call the US Soccer Federation. For a few years there in the late 80's/early 90's they seemed to have every player in the world with even a tenuous claim to the USA on their roster. so they would know for sure. ;)
Random
23 Nov 2003, 07:43 AM
Originally posted by ArsenalTexan3
He is 1/2 Egyption I believe and the other half is Swedish. Could be mistaken though.
Finnish mother, Egyptian father, born and brought up in Sweden. Could play for any of these.
Seem to remember talk that the Egyptian federation were trtying to convince him to play for them, but then he broke his leg and dropped out of sight for a while.