Just three points separate Zamalek from the relegation zone, Ahmed Morsy wonders whether they will be able to pull themselves back up Five-time African champions Zamalek's lowest league position to date came in the 2005/2006 season, when they finished in sixth place. Now, with three losses in row, and five losses this season, Zamalek, whose last league win was in October, are languishing in seventh place in the league table with 18 points only from 13 games, just three above the relegation zone. They lost to Haras El-Hedoud 1-0 in the seventh week of the domestic league, El-Gaish 1-0 in the eighth week, Olympic 3- 1 in the ninth week, Ismaili 1-0 in the thirteenth week and finally to Petroleum Assiout 2-0 on Friday. In addition, they won only five games and drew in three. The white club showed poor performance under the management of Reiner Hollmann. Officials subsequently showed Hollmann the door. However, they have suffered even greater misery following his departure. Currently, with interim coach Ahmed Refaat who was appointed head coach after German tactician Hollmann was sacked, the deterioration continues. It appears Refaat has been unable to help Zamalek climb out of its crisis as they suffered two league defeats under his guidance to slip to seventh place in the table. "The club is heavily vilified right now, but the fact remains that our problems are not going to be solved overnight," Zamalek temporary coach Ahmed Refaat told the club's official site. "I took over a team that has been suffering a multitude of shortcomings and setbacks over the last four years. And the coaching staff needs some time to get the outfit back on track." Be that as it may crisis-hit Zamalek hasn't registered a single win in the last six games, during which they scored only one goal. Meanwhile the team continues to sink deep in problems and conflicts. In their last game, Gamal Hamza, Mohamed Aboul- Ella, Ricardo, Osama Hassan and Wissem Abdi were all still out despite being pardoned after the coaching staff omitted them from the first team last month. The players only resumed first-team training a week earlier and none of them was fit enough to take part against Petroleum Assiout. Besides, midfielder Ayman Abdel-Aziz was also out of the game. The 30- year-old refused to sit on the bench in a previous defeat to Haras El-Hedoud and consequently, the technical staff decided to exclude and strip him of the team's captaincy. With no stable coach, a resigned president and players needing to feel the team spirit, Zamalek are going down a dark path with no map. On the other hand, Zamalek are currently holding talks with frontrunner coaches: French coach Henri Michel, German coach Theo Bucker, Portuguese coach Nelo Vingada. However, Zamalek's official website stated that Michel is the most likely to take the lead. The website explains that officials' negotiations with Michel reached an advanced stage and that he could well become the new Zamalek manager. Zamalek fans would be happy to see Michel return to the white castle, despite his unfriendly exit in August 2007. The 61-year-old abruptly left Zamalek while the team held its pre-season camp. He went on to take charge of the Moroccan national team but was sacked after the team suffered a first-round exit from the African Cup of Nations. Under Michel, Zamalek had a relatively satisfying campaign in the second half of the 2006/2007 season. They were close to ending their three-year title drought when they faced Ahli in the Egyptian Cup final. Nevertheless, despite having the lead three times, Zamalek suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat to the Ahli after extra time. In any case, Zamalek will play against Police Union on Saturday in the 15th week of the Egyptian league and for sure there will be a new coach to take by then. Meanwhile tomorrow, league leaders with 29 points, Petrojet are to clash against third-placed Enppi who have 25 points. While Egypt Telecom, 10th in the table with 16 points, meet with Petroleum Assiout, who stand at 13th place with the same number of points and Ittihad with 16 points in the 12th spot playing Spinning Mehalla, who have the same points 11th place. Elsewhere, Misri will host Olympic and Haras El-Hedoud will meet Arab Contractors on Sunday. On the same day, Ismaili, second with 26 points, will play against Tersana.
