Wotte furious at EFA

Ismaili manager Mark Wotte on Tuesday blamed his side's exit from the Arab Champions League (ACL) on the Egyptian FA who refused to postpone Ismaili's local league game that preceded their Arab clash with Ahli Bordj.

كتب : Ahmad Saied

الثلاثاء، 28 نوفمبر 2006 - 22:40
Ismaili manager Mark Wotte on Tuesday blamed his side's exit from the Arab Champions League (ACL) on the Egyptian FA who refused to postpone Ismaili's local league game that preceded their Arab clash with Ahli Bordj.

Ismaili played three games in just eight days including two goalless draws with the Algerian club in their two-legged tie in the ACL round of 16, one of them in Algeria, located in the far west of Africa.

They looked exhausted as they reached the penalty shootout on Monday after grabbing a last-minute 1-0 victory over Suez Cement in the Egyptian League just 72 hours earlier.

"The Egyptian football governing body are responsible of crashing out of the ACL," the Dutchman told reporters.

Wotte also hit out at Ismaili administration, saying that he is ready to resign because of failing to go further in Ismaili's lone regional tournament this season.

"The board of directors also had their share of responsibility because they agreed on this busy calendar without consulting with the coaching staff," he said.

"I am happy with what I have done with the team so far. But I am ready to quit if I couldn't meet the board's expectations."

Yet, Ismaili vice president Ibrahim Ashour backed Wotte and stressed there is no intention to let him go.

Ismaili are now at the top of the Egyptian League table, just one point clear off title holders Ahli, who still have two matches in hand.