Elmohamady out to reignite Egypt's fire

Alam Khan - Reporter 12:41 05/12/2015
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  • Elmohamady joined Hull in 2012.

    Ahmed Elmohamady is hoping better times are on the horizon for both his club and country.

    The Egypt star has suffered frustration and disappointment over the past year as Hull City were relegated from the Premier League and his national team failed to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, for a third successive tournament.

    But Elmohamady is confident the future will be brighter as he prepares to resist a big move in January to help Hull back into the top flight.

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    The 28-year-old is out of contract next summer and has been linked with a host of top-flight clubs, including Leicester City, West Brom, Swansea, West Ham and Everton.

    While boss Steve Bruce admits it will be hard to keep hold of Elmohamady should a big offer come in next month, the player wants to stay and take Hull up from the Championship.

    “I’m with Hull and my contract finishes at the end of the season – and I’m with them until the end of the season,” said Elmohamady, whose side are currently fourth and visit Leeds on Saturday.

    “There’s nothing else happening. I’m staying until my contract finishes and then we will see what happens after that.

    “I want to help Hull go back to the Premier League. There has been interest from other clubs and while it’s good for me, I want to do good for Hull.

    “I’m focused on football now, just concentrating on my job, and I want to keep everyone happy.

    “Our target this season is promotion, to get back into the Premier League and put Hull in the top level again.

    “We have so much experience, good players here. We all want to play in the Premier League, not just me, all the players. It’s the best league in the world and we have to work hard to get back there. Lots of fans back in Egypt watch it too so I want to make them happy and proud.”

    Elmohamady is keen to show some loyalty to Hull after enjoying his three years at the club since joining initially on loan from Sunderland in 2012.

    In that first season, he also helped the Tigers gain promotion to the Premier League, winning their Player of the Year award in the process, before making the move permanent for £2 million.

    He told Sport360 that “life’s good” in England since he left Egyptian outfit ENPPI in 2010.

    And he wants to use his experience to help revive Egypt’s fortunes after recent struggles.

    Since Hassan Shehata left in 2011, the Pharaohs have had three coaches in American Bob Bradley, Shawky Ghareeb and now Hector Cuper, the Argentine who also had a spell at UAE Pro League side Al Wasl.

    And Elmohamady, who has 71 caps and helped Egypt win two of their seven Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2008 and 2010, admitted: “We should be doing better. “It’s been a tough three or four years so hopefully we will get back to the right way and on the right road again.

    “First the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017 and then looking forward to the World Cup – that’s the target.

    “We have had the change of coaches, and the Egyptian League as well, it stops and plays, stops and plays, and that doesn’t help. Hopefully now everything will run smoothly and we will get back to how we were – and be successful again.

    “We have good players and we can achieve more. I also want more than 100 caps too. Inshallah things will be good again.” 

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