Why don’t more managers come clean in the press about disruptive or unprofessional players? It seems that more and more in these sanitised and sponsorship heavy times that too many people keep quiet about the players who are taking the Michael. At least Steve Bruce has bucked the trend and come out in public with his frustration over Amr Zaki and his time keeping.
To most football fans, it’s been obvious that Zaki has been wanting to leave Wigan since mid November, such has been the fall off in his performances and attitude. Here’s a striker that scored 9 times in his first 13 Premiership matches but his last goal for Wigan was a penalty in a 1-0 win at Bolton on December 28th and you’ve actually got to go back to October 18th for his last goal in open play in the 3-2 defeat to Liverpool.
A classic case of someone who has decided he’s too big for the club that’s given him the chance to make a name for himself in 6 months and feels that he’s better off without them. Yet it comes to something when your behaviour makes Mido look like a model professional and Zaki is a long way short of that level of commitment to Wigan Athletic and their fans.
I can only assume that Wigan can’t terminate the loan deal they have with Zaki’s Egyptian side Zamalek, otherwise I think Bruce would have kicked him all the way to Manchester Airport and threw him on the next flight back to Cairo. It’s an absolute disgrace that this player feels he can muck Wigan Athletic, their management and the fans about as much as this. In fact it’s pathetic. No-one had heard of Zaki outside of Africa before he joined Wigan Athletic, they took a punt on a striker who was ranked as the worlds best in the FIFA rankings last summer and gave him an opportunity to shine in the Premiership.
As soon as rumours began to circulate that bigger clubs were after him, he just packed it in and put his feet up. Bruce’s comments on Wigan’s website are heartfelt and the frustration and anger drip from every word. This is apparently the 4th time this season he’s done a bunk after International duty which is why I mentioned earlier that I don’t think Wigan can cancel the deal without some kind of financial penalty clause kicking in to touch.
Too many times modern footballers get wrapped in cotton wool and protected from the real world that the fans need to see and hear about. They get paid fortunes in the Premier League and they treat their fans like this, on this form he’s in danger of knocking Ashley Cole off the perch of most idiotic footballer in Britain, which is some going on Cole’s form.
You have to question the reasons behind Zaki’s thinking that if any big clubs are interested, who in their right mind is going to take a chance on someone who quite clearly doesn’t give a damn about anyone else but himself. Good on Steve Bruce for coming clean about Zaki and I feel sorry for any manager that takes the plunge to give him another chance in the Summer. You can bet on one thing, he sure as hell won’t be at Wigan Athletic next season.
I guess that explains why such a talented player was available in the first place. Ironically, he made his name scoring in the winner in the African Cup while coming on for Prima Dona Mido. Not such a breath of fresh air after all.
Bruce’s honesty is both refreshing and great for the footy fans, but looking at Fergie and Wenger, behind closed doors is the key to success.
I’m Egyptian and I have to say that I’m quite surprised by what is said in this article..
I won’t say that I’m a EPL news follower and for Zaki..I don’t follow his news often either..tho he’s an Egyptian player whom we’re very proud of being in the best League in the world..
But..to read from here that Zaki’s expected Wigan leaving comes from some arrogance and belief that Wigan isn’t just the best team for him is quite shocking..Zaki is not a young player with no experience to express that..
I must say that the rumors went around him moving to bigger teams when he was giving his best performance lured his mind away a bit..But again he is no that stupid to believe that Real Madrid for example is ready to sign him right away..
Shortly after that he stated to an Egyptian newspaper that he would stay with Wigan to get the needed EPL experience and he showed his gratefulness to Bruse who believed in him and made the loan happen..
Now the Egyptian part that you probably don’t know..Zaki as you know came from Zamalek club..which is an old club but in it’s worst ever form in terms of Managing and players..But Zaki was playing there for quite sometime..anyway they have loaned their best player for one thing..money..
Zaki now have loyalty issues because many of his team mates have been talking to him to come back to save the team while it’s doing it’s worst performance ever probably..
I don’t think that Zaki have a bit of a thought that leaving Wigan will lead him to join a bigger and better club..I think he just want to come back and maybe he just can’t bare England’s weather -remember when he caught flu-
I’m sorry for typing so long and for my bad English..
Thanks…
I have just read Bruce’s statement about Zaki being the most “unprofessional” player he ever dealt with..and I must admit..all of these mistakes and delays..That’s very unprofessional..
I hope Zaki take a clear decision..either making up for what he did and earn his place at Wigan..or going home..
I think a lot of us have come a long way with Bruce as a manager. He was a joke when he started, but has built a decent CV, that has really been banner over the past two. And he has shown the rare honesty when talking to the press. I hope he keeps up that progress.
His luck with Egyptian players hasn’t been to good as he had issues with Hossam Ghaly when he was at B.C. But then again after the way we treated him at Spurs, Ghaly was bound to be jaded.
Not quite sure what you are referring to when you ay Bruce was a joke as a manager when he started ? He had some ups and downs certainly but nothing that I would label him a “joke” over.
However, that aside I think he’s done a great job at both Birmingham and Wigan and I agree that his honesty with the press has been very refreshing. I think Zaki has got his head turned by all the talk of Real Madrid, etc. I hope for his own sake that he can settle down and prove again the talent he has.
what a load of crap. do you watch football? zaki has put 100% in all the games, closing down like his life depends on it, and you come up with this. i am a wigan fan, i watch it week in week out, and know what i am talking about. you clearly dont. stick to your day job. whether he htinks he is too big or not, you cant slam his effort or commitment, just his proffessionalism OFF the pitch. obvius toe veroyne. you stupid fool
Zaki has always been doing his best for the team. Simply in the first four months there were Valencia, Heskey and Palacios who are making a good effort to create goal opportunities, so Zaki was able to score. But now after Heskey and Palacios left AND Valencia’s level decreased so much, he was unable to score because he is always playing in midfield and not in front.
Also, Bruce’s talking to the press this way about his players is not professional at all. A good manager should not do that. I mean what did he get from doing that?
Nothing. He lost Zaki; that is all.
INDEED.. yes Steve Bruce NEED To Come Clean Over his fabricated Silly story and tell the truth ,,, was £12 asking price a nightmare turning points for Steve Brouce it seems, up to no good low act and out trashing Zaki to the press this way only find it to be so very not professional at all in fact never before mentioned attitude issue/late issue/warning the player, agian talking to the media and wigaan’s website complaining and concern on lack zaki scoring in seconed round? he think cold maybe or settle issue, maybe you just DUH, selling Heskey and Palacios and under prefoming valencia. giving Zaki spot to Mido and have him on the bench and so playing him less and less …MAYBE that is whay…. I remember Qoute < i am here to talk abut the game only and the game ony,, i will not talking about william Gallas and Repeat) thank you Arsen Wenger