Former Zamalek coach Jorvan Vieira has been appointed as new manager of Egyptian Premier League side Smouha, the Alexandria-based club announced on Monday.
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jorvan Vieira as the club’s new head coach. Welcome Vieira,” Smouha said via their official Twitter account.
Earlier on Monday, the coastal side parted ways with head coach Helmi Toulan after ending his contract by the end of this season.
“Thank you Toulan. We wish you a good luck in your next step,” the club wrote to the veteran coach, who helped Smouha finish third in the league to ensure a place at next year’s African Confederation Cup.
Smouha also reached Egypt’s Cup quarter-finals, where they will face the winners of Tuesday’s round of 16 match between Ahly and Haras El-Hodoud.
The 62-year-old Vieira, best known for steering Iraq to a historic Asian Cup triumph in 2007, has vast experience in the Arab leagues, working as a head coach in Qatar, Oman, the UAE and Morocco.
At the international level, the Brazilian-Portuguese tactician took the charge of Kuwait, Malaysia U-20 and Iraq national teams.
He previously worked in Egypt with Ismaily (2001) and Zamalek, helping the latter finish on top in their Egyptian Premier League group in the 2012/13 season with 13 victories from 15 matches.
Zamalek also reached the African Champions League group stage under Vieira’s guidance.
Vieira left his post with the Cairo giants after the Egyptian league cancellation in 2013 following the massive anti-government rallies that ousted Egypt’s then-president Mohamed Morsi.
Great ambitions, new blood
Seeing how his team’s striker and Egyptian League top scorer Hossam “Paolo” Salama is being closely monitored by Zamalek, Smouha president Mohamed Farag Amer is firmly refusing to let any of his stars go this summer.
“Smouha is a big club and we aim to keep all the stars to compete strongly in all competitions,” Amer told Egyptian sports website Yallakora.com.
Besides Vieira’s appointment, the famous businessman seems to be sparing no effort to inject new blood into his team in the new season, announcing seven signings on Monday.
Strikers Banou Diawara (JS Kabylie, Alg), Mohamed Shaheen (Mansoura) and Ahmed Raouf (Masry) have been brought on board to boost the front line.
He also signed defenders Khaled Stouhi (Ittihad El-Shorta), El-Sayed Farid (El-Entag El-Harby) and Salah Soliman (Enppi) to strengthen his shaky backline that conceded 37 goals in the close season.
Food tycoon Amer was elected as the president of Smouha in 1998, a fourth division team at the time.
Under his leadership, Smouha reached Egypt’s Premier League for the first time in the 2010/2011 season.
Smouha’s best achievement was finishing as runners-up in both the Egyptian League and the Egypt Cup in the 2013/2014 season. They also managed to reach the group stage of the CAF Champions League in the same term.
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