Time up for Marumo in Egypt

THATO KALA
Correspondent | Wednesday January 27, 2010 00:00

 

 The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has banned foreign goalkeepers from playing in the domestic league after national coach Hassan Shehata repeatedly bemoaned the lack of quality custodians in the North African country. 'We will allow the current foreign goalkeepers in the Egyptian league to see out their contracts but they will not be able to extend them,' the EFA said in a statement on their website late last year. Marumo plays for Alexandria-based outfit Haras El-Hodood. The club will be hard hit by the ban as two of its favoured goalkeepers are foreigners. Cameroonian, Mathurin Kameni, brother of Espanyol's Carlos, is the club's first choice with Marumo who joined in 2008 as his deputy.

 'It is quite difficult because at my club, we are two foreign goalkeepers and the other guy is the first choice. So I will have to make a move. As I speak, two foreign goalkeepers from other clubs have already left and I am likely to be the third. So I need to look for another team because the EFA no longer wants foreign goalkeepers in their league,' Marumo told Mmegi Sport from his Cairo base.

'I will probably be going back to play at home. I had a memorable stay at BDF XI and I will obviously give them first preference when I look for a club back home,' said Marumo who won three league titles with Matebele.

The Zebras' first choice goalkeeper had a taste of success last season after his club bagged a cup double - winning the Egypt Cup and the Super Cup. They beat six-time African champions, Al-Ahly in the final to win the Egypt Cup. However, things have not been rosy for El-Hodood who are perched in position 13 half way through the league programme. 'The team did well last season and we managed to make history by winning two cups. After that, we lost five key players and that affected the team a lot. I hope we will not be relegated at the end of the season.'

The 33-year-old goalkeeper said he has gained a lot of experience from featuring in the CAF club competitions. He advises Botswana's representatives in the continental competitions - Gaborone United and Santos to make the most of their home games. GU will play in the CAF Champions League while the Gabane outfit will battle it out in the CAF Confederation Cup.

'The CAF competitions are a bit demanding and my advice to GU and Santos is that they must be serious as they go into the games. They should stick to what they know and believe in themselves. From my experience, all home games are important and they have to win at home at all costs,' he emphasised.