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While The Pharaohs secure passage into the quarter-finals in Angola attempting to defend their African crown, one of their brightest sons is making a highly anticipated return to Old Blighty after a somewhat maligned exit. This time around, Amr Zaki will attempt his goal scoring prowess a few hours down the M62 from Wigan towards the North Sea and end up with relegation-fighting Hull City Football Club on a five month loan deal. For the next few weeks, he’ll only be able to watch his countrymen from an ‘iffy internet stream face Africa’s best a continent away.
<a href="http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamalek_SC" target="_blank">Zamalek</a>&nbsp;teammate and former Premier League player Mido was also unexpectedly left out of the 23-man squad whose only hope for a trophy this year will be to defend the African Cup of Nations as Egypt missed out on World Cup qualification yet again (the Pharaohs haven’t participated since 1990). A lack of match fitness has been cited as reason for Zaki’s exclusion in the squad.
As for Zaki’s exit from Wigan, the Egyptian was on record last summer criticizing Wigan for not accepting a payoff from then suitors Aston Villa. The payoff would have allowed Zaki the freedom to sign for Martin O’Neill thus scrapping his original loan deal from Zamalek. Zaki had a falling out with then Wigan gaffer Steve Bruce after multiple fines from returning late to the Latics from international duty. Bruce was famously quoted as labeling Zaki as the most unprofessional player he has ever managed.
As for Zaki’s return, most will remember his blazing start to last season scoring 11 goals in his first 18 appearances before his form eventually took a nose dive. Zaki has vowed to stay out of trouble to the accepting ears of Hull City chairman Adam Pearson. The reported fee Hull City splashed for the Egyptian striker ranges from “a significant loan fee” to “£400,000” in hopes Zaki will help the Tigers fight the drop.
Amr Zaki on good form and with a good attitude will be an asset for Hull City. He’s a strong, proven goal scorer with a natural instinct to know where he’s at when he receives the ball. He’s got a perfect body build to compete with equally strong Premier League centre-backs. He’s a player that has the skill and ability to have a future in the Premier League. As an admirer of his goals from last term, here’s hoping he continues to make good on his potential this time around. If I haven’t convinced you yet, make sure to check out a few of his best from his Wigan days.
Also, what does this mean for on-loan American striker Jozy Altidore? Will he continue to receive vital playing time for Hull City in hopes he’ll come good on his potential? Or, has Altidore’s spot been claimed by the proven Premier League goal scorer Zaki?
Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts on Zaki’s return to the Premier League.

He Walked Away Like An Egyptian - The Return Of Amr Zaki - World Soccer Talk

He Walked Away Like An Egyptian – The Return Of Amr Zaki

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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. <a href="http:\/\/www.wiganlatics.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10429~1610527,00.html" target="_blank">Bruce’s comments on Wigan’s website are heartfelt and the frustration and anger drip from every word</a>. 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, <a href="http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7925963.stm" target="_blank">which is some going on Cole’s form</a>.
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.

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He Walked Away Like An Egyptian – The Return Of Amr Zaki

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