- Nafti was appointed after former coach Ammouta was sacked
- He is a former international
- He started his tenure with a loss to Chabab Mohamedia
Moroccan Premier League champions Wydad Athletic Club’s new coach Mehdi Nafti started off his tenure on a sour footing as his side suffered a 2-1 loss at the hands of Chabab Mohammedia in the Botola Pro.
Nafti was named as the club’s new head coach, replacing Houcine Ammouta who was sacked. The former Tunisian international, 44, was announced by the team on Monday.
Ammouta, who was on his second spell at the club was shown the door after a difficult spell at the club, early December. He had been appointed to replace Walid Regragui, who had stepped up to the national team.
His last match in Charge was a heavy 3-0 defeat at the hands of league leaders FAR Rabat, which left the defending champions second in the standings with 18 points, three behind the leaders.
Nafti, a former Tunisian defensive midfielder had a long playing career spanning from France to Spain and England, having retired in 2014 after a stint with Spanish Premier League side Cadiz.
Most of his coaching career has been in Spain, and his last job was with Levante, having joined from Leganes. He was relieved of his duties at Levante in October.
He had been previously appointed head coach at Etoile du Sahel back at his native home in Tunisia in October 2020, but didn’t take up the job and returned to Spain to take up a similar role with second division side Lugo.
Pacheco named new Pyramids FC coach
Pyramids new coach Pacheco
Meanwhile, Egyptian Premier League side Pyramids FC have named Portuguese trainer Jaime Pacheco as the new head coach, taking over from Greek tactician Takis Gonias who was fired just after seeing the side lose 3-0 to league leaders Al Ahly.
Pacheco returns to Egypt having recently coached Zamalek in the 2020-21 season. He also coached the White Knights in the 2014 season, this being his only experience in Africa.
He finds Pyramids fourth in the Egyptian premier League standings with 20 points, 10 behind leaders Al Ahly. His first game in charge will be on Saturday against Ghazl El Mehalla.
Meanwhile, Gonias left the side where he had been working on a second spell having returned last April following the departure of Ehab Galal, who went to take over the Egyptian national team.
During his year and a half spell as Pyramids’ head coach, Gonias led the team in 39 games, winning 24, while drawing five, and losing 10.
He led the team to back-to-back Egypt Cup semi-finals while finishing second in the 2021/22 Egyptian Premier League season, the club’s highest-ever league finish.
This season Pyramids had also suffered two defeats to both Zamalek and relegation contenders El-Dakhelya, while drawing with both ENPPI and Al Masry.
Al Ahly make new signings
Ahly’s new signing Khaled
Elsewhere, Al Ahly have started strengthening their team with an addition of two new players just as the January transfer window opened.
The Red Devils have signed Tunisian forward Mohamed Dhaoui from Etoile du Sahel on a four-and-a-half-year deal as well as bringing on board Smouha right back Khaled Abdel-Fattah on loan till the end of the season.
With a lack of goals upfront, new Ahly coach Marcell Koller has decided to beef up his options and the 19-year old will definitely be expected to bring in the goals. He was the leading scorer in the Tunisian league with four goals and two assists in six games.
The teenager also becomes the third-ever Tunisian to represent Al Ahly after Anis Boujelbene and current club left-back Ali Maaloul.
At the same time, Ahly have made a loan swap deal with Smouha, taking right back Abdel-Fatteh while Hossam Hassan heads the other way.
Ahly needed to make a signing in defense after double ACL injury blows for both Akram Tawfik and Karim Fouad who are now sidelined for the rest of the season.
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