Meet the First Female To Coach Men’s Football Team in the Middle East
The year 2018 has been all about women and it seems that the ladies will be taking the Internet by storm in 2019 as well. Just when we thought coaching a male football team is a job solely for the gentlemen, Maha Jannoud proves us wrong.
The 32-year-old Syrian lady is the first female in the Middle East to coach a men’s team. The former player for Syrian Women’s team is proving that leadership is a skill regardless of gender. After an injury that ended her football career, Jannoud stayed on the field
It goes without saying that becoming the men’s team coach was a challenge, yet being a former player on the women’s team at the same club, Al-Muhafaza, made it easier.
“At first it was a little bit hard,” player Amjad Katkout told Reuters about being coached by a woman. “But then we got used to this, she became like a sister or a friend. It is normal.”
Al-Muhafaza team is currently on a mission to be promoted out of the second division and back into Syria’s top tier. The coach helped them win eight out of 10 league matches and draw on the other two.
The club’s technical manager, Anas Sebaei, admitted that the decision to hire her caused controversy but insisted that she deserved and earned the position, considering what a good player and coach Jannoud is.
