Patrice Carteron, Technical Director of Saudi Cooperation, explained that his departure from Zamalek training was a painful decision for him.
Carteron abruptly left Zamalek training a few months ago, before taking over the cooperation training within hours, in a move that angered the White Castle fans.
“The beginning was difficult with cooperation. I had to gather together a team that lost 3 consecutive matches, but despite that we were able to reach an advanced stage in the AFC Champions League,” said Carteron via Ontime Sports 2.
He added, “This season in the Saudi League has achieved record numbers in terms of points and goals with cooperation.”
He continued: “I keep exceptional memories from my time with Zamalek. My relationship was wonderful with the players and I am still in contact with many of them. I feel happy when I exchange conversations with them so far. We have lived together difficult moments as we have achieved great successes.”
He revealed: “I was building my plan in Zamalek primarily on defensive cohesion, then starting offensively to achieve what we aspire to.”
He admitted: “Leaving Zamalek was a difficult and painful option because I gave up on the semi-finals and the final of the African Champions League, but I possessed my own reasons that prompted me to leave.
He stressed: “The departure was not easy for me and the players, and it is true that there was a possibility to crown the Champions League with the team, but I felt it was the right moment despite the pain surrounding it and the difficulty of separating these players.”
He stressed: “It was the most difficult moment in my life, but I am used to the decision to withdraw at the right moment. I achieved two titles with Zamalek and left him on the right path and was the closest to winning the African Champions League, I do not regret anything. It was a difficult moment, but I had a feeling that I will not do more if I continue.” With the team, I just didn’t have enough energy. “
He continued: “My relationship with Zamalek management was very good. We may have faced some complications sometimes, but the team atmosphere was great with Amir Mortada, and that helped us overcome difficult stages in the Champions League, especially Esperance, which we beat twice in one week.”
He revealed: “The Zamalek administration offered me to extend my contract and increase my salary, but it was not related to money at all. I did not leave Zamalek to get more money, but I was looking forward to a new challenge.”
He continued: “When I was in Zamalek, I used to receive a lot of offers, but my priority was to continue in Zamalek and finish what I had started, but at some point I lost the passion and energy and automatically I started thinking about other offers.”
He continued: “Cooperation was not the only club that contacted me, but there are clubs from other countries such as Qatar, for example, but I chose to cooperate in the end.”
He stressed: “The continuation of cooperation with me happened after I announced my departure from Zamalek. Things have gone quickly.”
Regarding Jamie Pacheco’s praise of him in his first training after taking over the coaching of Zamalek, he commented: “I thank Pacheco for what he said about me. This is his morals, and I think that when he arrived in Egypt he found a team in good physical condition and ready to work with him. The team was organized and had several alternatives in All the positions, the atmosphere helped him to work. “
Pacheco turned to talk about the century final: “Frankly, I did not watch the African Champions League final, I did not want to watch it on air because it was a difficult moment for me, I could not watch the players in this difficult match.”
He added, “But I watched the replay afterwards to see how Al-Ahly won, and I was disappointed when I saw how Zamalek lost, despite being the best and closest to winning.”
He stressed: “I think that the Corona virus punished Zamalek more than Al-Ahly and deprived him of 3 important players in the final, and despite these absences, Zamalek presented a great match, it is frustrating to lose after what he presented.”
He praised Tariq Hamed, the midfielder of the team: “Tariq Hamed is an excellent player who can play in Europe, and there are many players in Zamalek as well, but Zamalek players love to compete for titles, and moving to a midfield team in Europe will not achieve that for them.”
He revealed: “If I were coach of Zamalek, I would have agreed to the departure of Mustafa Mohamed, because he had obtained a verbal promise to leave for Europe after the end of the African Champions League. He was literally told that if a suitable European offer arrived, we will let you leave.”
He continued: “This is Mustafa’s dream. He has the potential to qualify him to play in big European clubs, and Zamalek will benefit financially. I understand his desire and insistence on professionalism because he got a promise to do so.”
And about the possibility of training Pyramids: “I have not received an official call from Pyramids to take over his training, but I see him as a third force in Egyptian football alongside Al-Ahly and Zamalek. He has good players who can compete.”
He added, “Should I return to Egypt again? It is not my habit to set up a long-term action plan. I came to Egypt by chance to train Wadi Tigris and there the Egyptian public introduced me, then I took over the mission of Al-Ahly and Zamalek, all of which were unplanned steps.”
And he praised Imam Ashour: “I love Imam Ashour very much, and unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to rely on him in the stadium very much because he was not useful to an African for my bad luck, I regret that, he is an exceptional and great talent and makes a tremendous physical effort. I am glad that Pacheco has rediscovered him in the center.” new”.
And on Obama as well: “I am astonished and amazed that Joseph Obama does not join the Egyptian national team. He is a great talent on both the technical and physical levels and has tremendous abilities to move between the lines in an intelligent and excellent manner. I love him as a man since he was in the Tigris Valley, and I was very happy when I came to Zamalek and found him.” I’m one of his fans. “
And he sent a message to Zamalek fans: “I understand that the fans of Zamalek love their team, and I thank them for all the feelings they gave me and for the messages I receive from them, even if some of them have a lot of frustration.”
He continued: “People in Egypt are very emotional and therefore I understand their frustration in this way. I am also frustrated at causing them this pain and I understand their reaction. They are not wrong, but I see them right in their reaction, but in the end I am a human being, I am a man with energy and requirements, and this is it.” The march of any coach anywhere in the world. “
He concluded: “I wish Zamalek and his fans a good season and that the club achieve more tournaments because it deserves it.”
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