Former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Doll, Frenchman Herve Renard and an unnamed Portuguese tactician are on Ahli's shortlist for the head coach post, FilGoal.com understands. The Red Devils have been on the lookout for a foreign boss since Hossam Al-Badri resigned as coach in the wake of last month's 3-1 league loss at Ismaili. Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Shafi 'Zizo' has succeeded Al-Badri at Ahli's helm on a temporary basis. His brief tenure should end once the Cairo side have appointed a new coach on the halfway mark. It was revealed days ago that Renard is the frontrunner for the job but it turned out that the six-time African champions have two other candidates in mind, Doll including. FilGoal.com also learnt that the anonymous Portuguese coach is not Manuel Jose, under whom Ahli rejoiced for years in a blaze of glory and record-breaking triumphs domestically and continently. However, it was Jose who recommended his unknown compatriot for the hot seat.
Renard remains a favorite for the job Renard Shoo-in So far, Renard has been a shoo-in to take up the job, with most of Ahli's officials putting much weight in the idea of hiring him. The 42-year-old was once in charge of Zambia and Angola, and thus Ahli's board members are convinced that he's well-informed about African football. Former Germany midfielder Doll, 44, played for a number of Bundesliga clubs before kicking off his coaching career in 2002 by managing Hamburger's second string. He was installed at Dortmund in the 2007-2008 season, leading them to a poor 13-place finish. It's understood that the monthly salary of Ahli's new coach will not exceed $50,000.
