Patrice Carteron resigns as Zamalek manager amid Kaizer Chiefs managerial job
On Tuesday, the 50-year-old surprisingly ended his managerial stint at the Egyptian club less than a year after his appointment
Patrice Carteron has resigned as Zamalek manager a few weeks before their Caf Champions League semi-final outing against Raja Casablanca.
Carteron’s shocking exit comes three days after he led the Whites to a 1-0 victory over El Entag El Harby in an Egyptian Premier League encounter on Sunday.
The 50-year-old succeeded Zambia coach Milutin Sredojevic at the helm of affairs at Zamalek in December 2019, and he guided the Egyptian club to success on the continent and at home during his brief stay.
Thanks to his impressive start to life at the Cairo International Stadium, the Egyptian giants offered Carteron a new contract and he signed to remain at the club until the end of the 2020-21 season.
He helped the Cairo-based outfit win the 2020 Caf Super Cup in February after a 3-2 win over Esperance de Tunis. Six days later, they lifted the Egyptian Super Cup after defeating Al Ahly on penalties.
Zamalek confirmed Carteron left the club due to personal reasons with an apology note from the former France defender to the club faithful.
“Patrice Carteron apologises to Zamalek for not completing his assignment as the football team coach, due to personal reasons,” the club tweeted.
Carteron who guided TP Mazembe to Champions League triumph in 2015 has been linked with Kaizer Chiefs managerial job since yesterday following the sack of Ernst Middendorp after losing 2019/2020 PSL title to Mamelodi Sundowns on last Matchday.
Chiefs had once chased Carteron before they handed their job to Middendorp back in 2018. The former is expected to take the Amakhosi job after receiving contacts from the PSL giants.
Chiefs’ interest in the former Zamalek boss comes as a surprise after already engaging Gavin Hunt to replace Middendorp.
If Hunt is joining Kiazer Chiefs that would be a good new for their supporters having the former Wits tactician appeared a challenge for reigning PSL champions boss Pitso Mosimane.
“Gav keeps me on my edge. Our games are always very close, let’s be honest. I can easily say that I’ve been following him. He has achieved things before I even get them, to be honest, and you can’t be lucky for so many years,” Mosimane told the media.
“He’s a very good coach and he knows how to win. He has won a lot, and he has won trophies man. So, how can he be lucky? He’s a very good coach.
“His ratio of winning games to losses is really not deteriorating. He’s winning. I mean, the guy’s just won… I think he won a cup last year, eh?
“It has always been SuperSport and Wits. They will win a Top 8 there, a Telkom or Nedbank somewhere, and SuperSport will pip one of those, and we also pip one there.
“Let’s be honest, for the last five or six years, it’s been like that.”
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