Al Ahly head coach Marcel Koller has been named among the finalists for the CAF Manager of the Year award, while Zamalek’s José Gomes narrowly missed the cut.
Koller’s nomination follows a stellar campaign with Al Ahly, where he guided the team to yet another CAF Champions League title. The Red Devils went undefeated throughout the tournament, conceding only one goal and setting a new record for consecutive matches without a loss in the competition.
On the other hand, José Gomes, who led Zamalek to the CAF Confederation Cup title and an African Super Cup victory over Al Ahly in a thrilling penalty shootout, was initially included in the preliminary list but did not make the final shortlist.
The five-man shortlist for the prestigious award includes Angola’s Pedro Gonçalves, DR Congo’s Sébastien Desabre, South Africa’s Hugo Broos, and Ivory Coast’s Emerson Fae, alongside Koller.
Only three managers have previously won this award while working in Egypt: Manuel José (2006) with Al Ahly, Hassan Shehata (2008) with the Egyptian national team, and Héctor Cúper (2017), also with the national team.
The CAF Awards ceremony is set to take place in Morocco on December 16, 2024.