Salem Ibrahim Al Rewani: transferred from Ittihad to Nasser

A few days after the end of the holy month of Ramadan, on October 1, the Libyan Premier League kicks off with the participation of fourteen teams. For the first time since the 2007-08 season, the 2009-10 championship, the 42nd edition since 1963, will return to the 14-team format after the Libyan Football Federation decided to reduce the number of teams in the top flight from 16 to 14.

After the relegation of four teams last term, only two teams were promoted from the second division. Now it is hoped that the new format will lead to an even better competition in the upcoming campaign.

The teams making up the top division will be, Ahli Benghazi, Ahli Tripoli, Alakhdar, Hilal, Ittihad, Khaleej Sirt, Madina, Najma, Nasr, Olomby, Shat, Swaihili, Tahadddi and Tirsana. Najma as champions and Tahaddi are the newly promoted sides

As a result of a decision by the GPC, if the football federation’s request for a change of heart is not met, foreign players will be banned form the league. Libyan football clubs have not only been unable to buy new foreign players but will also have to cancel the contracts of those they already have and have been playing in the Libyan league for a number of years.

However, clubs are still allowed to engage foreign coaches and three clubs have in fact have done so. Therefore, Ahli Benghazi, Alakhdar and Khaleej Sirt will be under new coaches, all foreign.

Ahli Benghazi who had such a good 2008-09 season the last one, when they nipped their namesakes from Tripoli into the runner up position, have parted with their Serbian coach Dragon and replaced him with a, 65-year-old Brazilian, José Dos Santos, a former Brazilian international footballer.

Dos Santos played eight times for the Brazil national team and was even part of the squad that took part in the FIFA World Cup in 1966 in England. He also played for seven Brazilian clubs in the domestic league, Bangu, Vasco, América-RJ, Corinthians, ABC, Operário-MS and São José-SP.

After finishing fourth in the league championship last season, Alakhdar feel they could improve even more in the coming season. As such they have appointed a new coach, a Belgian by the name of René Taelman. He will be replacing last season’s Portuguese coach, José Manuel Ricardo Gorriz.

Taelman comes to Libyan football after coaching the Benin national football team last season. He first made a name for himself in his native country, Belgium where he coached the first division club of Cercle Bruges in season 1987-88.

Khaleej Sirte will be under a Tunisian coach, (The Tripoli Post - issue No. 266), 39-year-old Tarik Thabit who takes over from Abdelhafidh Arbeesh who on his part has moved on to Hilal

Meanwhile, the transfer market in Libyan football this summer has been considerably busy. Fifteen players will be playing for new news clubs in 2009/10. Although only Ahli of Benghazi from the top three clubs have reportedly made any new signings, three more clubs are also banking their hopes on a number of new recruits.

Defending champions Ittihad and their Tripoli cross-town rivals Ahli, who desperately need to win the championship after an absence of nine years, have not signed any new big name players. Not only that, by Ittihad have even unloaded five players from their squad to other first division clubs.

Among the biggest names to change clubs will be Libyan international striker Salem Ibrahim Al Rewani. Al-Ittihad seem to have decided that the player has given them all the service he could in five years at the club and have decided to let him go where he could perhaps relaunch his career.

Al Rewani, 32 years, a most experienced player who has played close to 30 times for Libya, scoring four times, has won five championships, one with Madina (2001) and three with Ittihad (2005,2006, 2007 and 2008) is one of three new players who will be playing for Nasser in the hope that they club will improve its standing in the championship.

Ittihad’s decision to release the Libyan international striker came as a bit of a surprise for some as Al Rewani has been one of the club’s standard bearers for a number of years. But it seems that he is now surplus to requirements at the club. However, observers feel that he could prove to be a great gain for Nasser.

Nasser’s other signing from Ittihad is defender Muaad Aboud. They also managed to get another striker, Omar Mohammed from Swaihili.

Ahli Benghazi have strengthened the squad with two players from Alakhdar, namely, Hussein Fathi Sultaan and Samil Al-Wahaj. They have also signed Yousef Mslati from Wahda and Ahmed Abdel Qadir from AS Marsa.

Tirsana too have been very busy strengthening their team with four players, thanks to the signing of Ahmed Musbaah and Ahmed Krawaa both on loan from Ittihad, Al-Oun Hatim – also on loan - from Ahli Tripli, and ZrooqTariq from Ouroba.

Meanwhile, after surrendering two players, Alakhdar clinched a deal with Ittihad for another experienced player, Ahmed al Shawish.

Newly promoted Tahaddi signed Tariq Abdelfattah al Sayed from Mahalla.
The others to delve into the transfer market to strengthen their team were Madina who signed Abdallah Abaid from Harati and Salem al Mansouri from Jazeera.