Ismaily chairman withdraws resignation, sticks with Abd-Rabou
Ismaily chairman Yehia El-Komy backtracks on resignation and vows to put an end to the club’s mounting financial problems
Eslam Omar, Wednesday 24 Aug 2011
Ismaily chairman Yehia El-Komy withdrew his resignation on Wednesday as he vowed to solve the club’s persistent financial problems which disrupt their preparations for the new season.
Many of Ismaily players abandoned the team’s pre-season training camp in protest at the club’s failure to fulfill their financial obligations towards him, few weeks before the start of the new season.
Star midfielder Hosni Abd-Rabou also threatened to annul the three-year deal he recently signed with Ismaily amid speculation that he could join Zamalek.
“The players will get most of their overdue payments within two days. The rest of their money will be paid before the end of the month,” El-Komy, a wealthy businessman who was appointed as Ismaily’s chairman in a bid to ease their financial worries, said on the club’s official website.
“I will achieve all the ambition and hopes of Ismaily fans despite the current difficult circumstances.”
El-Komy also promised to keep hold of Abd-Rabou, who has been one of the team’s key players since making his senior team debut in 2003.
“Abd-Rabou will get his salary. He is a pivotal member of Ismaily’s squad,” El-Komy was quoted as saying by local media.
Ismaily have won the last of their three Egyptian Premier League titles in 2002. They haven’t lifted any trophy since then, with their over-reliance on youth players giving them an impressive attacking flair without silverware.
One of Egypt’s struggling government-owned clubs, Ismaily often complain that they do not get the financial support they deserve.
They are consistently outshone in the transfer market by the likes of ENPPI, Petrojet Wadi Degla and Maqassa - all of whom are backed by healthy financial institutions.
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