Media personality Ahmed Shobier defended Nasser Mansi, the striker for Zamalek's first football team, following a fierce campaign against him due to a noticeable weight gain that affected his physical and technical fitness, emphasizing that the blame lies with the management of the White Fortress.
Shobier said in a statement via his radio program: "There is a campaign against Nasser Mansi, Zamalek's striker, because of his excess weight, but the fault is not his. The player was supposed to start his pre-season preparation at least a month before the league, but that did not happen."
He continued: "We always gain a bit of weight during holidays due to eating fruits and sweets, meaning around 2 or 3 kilograms. With the start of the pre-season period, within a week or 10 days, the weight decreases."
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He added: "But when the players returned to Zamalek, they found themselves training tactically, then playing friendly matches, and then the league started after two weeks. The mistake is that Zamalek started late. Some players have been training for a while and have set a routine for themselves, while others do not have this culture. The player belongs to the club, so do not wrong the player."
He noted: "Where were you calling him a legend last season? And from the start of this season, you are pouring your anger on him and the rest of the players in a terrible way. Why don't you bear with the players? Players are made of flesh and blood. Enough with the intense pressure all the time."
He concluded: "There is certainly blame on the player, but the blame is greater on the club management that started the pre-season period late, and they are the ones who allowed things to reach this point."
