Emad El-Nahhas has become the first managerial casualty of the 2026–2027 Egyptian Premier League season after Al Masry’s board of directors decided to dismiss him just three rounds into the campaign, appointing Ahmed Samy as head coach through the end of the season.
The decision came hours after Al Masry suffered a 1-0 defeat to Pyramids FC, following which the board transferred EGP 2 million to El-Nahhas and his coaching staff, representing the buyout clause specified in their contract to formally end the relationship.
El-Nahhas took charge on April 7, 2026, succeeding Tunisian manager Nabil Kouki. He led the Port Said side to win the Egypt Capital Cup with a 3-0 victory over ENPPI, securing the club’s first major trophy since winning the Egypt Cup in 1998, which led to a contract extension through the summer of 2027 in June.
Sources inside the club attributed the decision to declining tactical performance despite securing two victories, along with disagreements with the board over managerial authority and summer recruitment. The defeat against Pyramids acted as a catalyst rather than the sole reason for the dismissal.
During his tenure, El-Nahhas managed Al Masry in 11 matches across all competitions, recording 6 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses, with the team scoring 14 goals and conceding 11. His spell featured the Egypt Capital Cup triumph and qualification for the Egyptian Super Cup.
Al Masry started the current league campaign with a 1-0 victory over Smouha, followed by a 3-2 win against El Mokawloon El Arab before losing to Pyramids. Accumulating 6 points out of 9 and sitting 4th in the table made the early sacking unexpected given the team’s standing.
Kamel Abou Aly’s board moved swiftly to appoint Ahmed Samy, who will be assisted by Hossam Abdel Aal as general coach, Ahmed Fathi and Salah Amin as assistant coaches, and Osama Abdel Karim as goalkeeper coach. The new staff will take charge starting with the round four fixture against Petrojet.
