"I was forced to seize this opportunity!" In his first season at the helm of Al Ahly SC's women's team, Damien Lipoff experienced an emotional season, finishing second in the Egyptian league and winning the Egyptian Cup. A successful debut, he owes in part to the contribution of his team's (very) young players. A choice which, the French admits, was initially dictated by the lack of depth in his squad and by the audacity of the former coach of the Morocco U20-U23 women's team, who did not hesitate to throw in a 14-year-old player or a 16-year-old striker, scorer of the winning goal in the final: "She's a kid full of talent, a hard worker who came on very regularly in the 70th, 80th, 85th minute throughout the year to replace my starting striker." She's a very high-performing player, but she can't play every minute. I had to find an alternative. Towards the end of the season, the professional, a little worn out, had a decline in performance... As I had prepared her all year, she was operational". An imposed but rewarding choice that concludes a season rich in lessons.
Brief
Dimitri Lipoff had an emotional season, which ended in second place in the Egyptian championship and a win in the Egypt Cup / ©Al Ahly SC Women