Rene Weiler has opened up about the reasons behind his departure from the club four years ago, blaming the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview with MBC Masr, Weiler said: “I wanted to continue with Al Ahly, but the spread of COVID made the situation extremely difficult and led to my departure.”
“I played with Al Ahly using the same approach both before and after the pandemic. I don’t believe the team’s performance changed as some people think. I like my team to play direct football towards the goal, and I don’t prefer too much possession that might bore the fans.”
“I always aimed for big wins and didn’t enjoy winning by just one goal. This approach made the fans enjoy Al Ahly’s games with me.”
Looking back at his relationship and experience with the Red Devils fan base, Weiler stated, “I have never seen fans as strong and magnificent as Al Ahly’s. The fans are the ones who elevated the club to its prestigious status.”
Weiler admitted that while he doesn’t enjoy being in the spotlight, he appreciated the fans’ enthusiasm. “I don’t like to be in the spotlight all the time. It didn’t bother me that fans constantly tried to talk to me and take pictures, but that’s just not my personality.”
He also expressed his gratitude towards Al Ahly’s staff, saying, “Sayed Abdel Hafeez helped me a lot to adapt to life in Cairo, this crazy city.”
Weiler concluded by addressing speculation about his family’s involvement in his decision to leave. “My wife had nothing to do with my departure from Al Ahly. On the contrary, she supported me a lot and even came to Egypt for some time. But due to the pandemic, I was separated from her and my family, and I couldn’t see them or check on them during a very tough time for the whole world.”
Rene Weiler’s time at Al Ahly was short but successful; the Swiss coach left the club in October 2020 after winning the Premier League and Egyptian Super Cup.