Hani Ramzi, former Egyptian national team captain and current ENPPI assistant coach, does not agree that the Egyptian League is a competition of quality. The premier domestic competition was lauded by many in the wake of Egypt's 2008 African Cup of Nations triumph. Pundits believed that locally-based Egyptian players were nurtured in a healthy atmosphere, which helped them produce stunning displays in Ghana to lead the Pharaohs to glory. They went on to compare the Egyptian League with some European competitions. Ramzi has a completely different view. "There is no comparison between the Egyptian League and any European competition. Our league is a competition for amateurs," Ramzi told FilGoal.com in an extended interview. "Apart from the matches which feature Ahli, Zamalek and Ismaili, there is no football played in Egypt. Our local games can't prepare any player for tough challenges." Ramzi also believes the players shoulder the biggest responsibility for failing to behave like professionals. "Egyptian players are very lazy. They always turn up late for training, giving flimsy excuses for their actions. Their performances also amazingly differ from one match to another. I dearly suffer from the players' indiscipline. "The players here run five or six kilometers per game whereas their European counterparts run 14 or 15 kilometers." But according to Ramzi, the players are not the only ones at fault, but also the clubs are responsible for failing to establish a strong and competitive league. The 39-year-old believes those clubs have to learn that marketing aspects are one of the most important factors in developing the game.
The agile defender was one of the best players to play in Europe "The clubs here do not exert any effort to try and encourage fans to go to the stadium. How can it be a professional league while the stadiums are always empty?" "Selling the match's broadcasting rights exclusively to any party will be very useful in generating more income for clubs as well as prompting fans to attend the games." Adaptation Problems Ramzi feels Egyptian players should be mentally prepared to play in Europe if they are to enjoy successful spells abroad. "Many Egyptian footballers failed in Europe because they wanted to emulate their Cairo lifestyle," he bemoaned. "Every one of them goes to any European country without knowing its language and without having the intention of learning it. Consequently, he becomes very isolated from his teammates and coach." Ramzi's view is justified by the plenty of experience he had in European football. He joined Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax following Egypt's 1990 World Cup campaign before plying his trade in Germany for 12 years with Werder Bremen, Kaiserslautern and minnows Saarbrucken. Ramzi advised Middlesbrough striker Mido and Hamburg forward Mohamed Zidan not to rapidly switch clubs. "During the past few years, Mido played for several teams I personally dreamt of joining them. But unfortunately, he doesn't stay with one club for a long time." "He has to be patient even if there are problems between him and his club. The same applies to Zidan. Stability will lead to success."
