Short background:
Amr Noureldin is the former coach of U20 Misr, he has recently been elected as the new headcoach over U20 Sverige (Sweden) - one of the greatest and most important tasks in the game, atleast it used to be. What are his thoughts about the future? The ‘new hattrick’? Noureldin will be the U20 Sverige coach until 2005-01-31 - I really wish him all the best!

Latest press announcement:
2004-08-01 Eagle’s Marching on
Today was an impressive game for the Eagle’s when they for the first time in history hit a divine midfield rating (old ratings) againest the rivials Egy Red Devils.. That helped us alot minimize the importance of their attack which easily gave us a 4-0 win.. Now we are sharing the lead with the Devils and Raphaelois all with 13 points.

Last three games Black Eagle:
2004-07-28 (Cup): Black Eagle - Piramids Cairo 2 - 3
2004-08-01 (League): Black Eagle - Egy Red Devils 4 - 0
2004-08-04 (Friendly): Schlumberger - Black Eagle 2 - 0

Last three games U20 Sverige:
2004-07-16 (World Cup): U-20 Sverige - U-20 India 5 - 0
2004-07-23 (World Cup): U-20 Ireland - U-20 Sverige 0 - 2
2004-07-30 (National Friendly): U-20 USA - U-20 Sverige 1 - 4

Club history:
2004-07-28 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 6 season 11
2004-06-05 Black Eagle finished as number 2 in II.2 season 10
2004-04-07 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 6 season 10
2004-02-14 Black Eagle finished as number 3 in II.2 season 9
2003-11-26 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 3 season 9
2003-10-27 Juventus Eg was renamed to Black Eagle
2003-10-25 Black Eagle finished as number 4 in II.2 season 8
2003-08-06 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 3 season 8
2003-07-05 Juventus Eg finished as number 1 in III.2 season 7
2003-05-22 The club changed owner as mohaziz took control and renamed it Juventus Eg
2003-04-09 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 2 season 7
2003-03-15 Zamalek finished as number 7 in II.1 season 6
2002-12-23 The club changed owner as rabi2g took control and renamed it Zamalek
2002-12-11 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 1 season 6
2002-11-23 Sinai finished as number 1 in III.7 season 5
2002-08-21 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 1 season 5
2002-08-03 Sinai finished as number 3 in III.7 season 4
2002-05-08 The team was kicked out of the Cup at round 2 season 4

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Hey Noureldin, tell us a little about yourself for us who don’t know you that well.
Well, I am 19 years old, have 1 older brother and one younger one, I am still a student in the University, studing Engineering. My religion is Muslim, living in Cairo, Egypt. Currently enjoying my 3 month summer vacation
You’ve become quite a famous guy among the circle of swedish HT-players, brief us about that.
First of all, it was a dream for me to coach a national team in Misr, and I took over U20 Misr only after berber, the U20 coach then decided not to be a candidate, as we are friends I wasn’t ready to stand against him in the elections, and without him deciding not to candidate, none of you would have heard about me till now. Now I am very popular around and hope to keep it on
Why did you start playing Hattrick? How did you hear about it?
I heard about it from a friend, and first of all, probably as most newbie’s, I didn’t show much interest to the game till I became addicted now.

For the Swedish readers who might not know much about the Egyptian “HT-Scene” - tell us about that, is it bigger and greater than we can imagine?
In Hattrick, Misr is a small nation consisting of 200+ users, still a small country and hopefully we can grow a lot bigger when the Arabic version of HT is released. Maybe only Misr become heard in the HT world after our un-expected performance in the last U20 WC and ending 6th in it.

How much do you really know about Sweden? Generally speaking, what do you come to think about when you hear “SWEDEN”? Also, what have you heard? But are not quite sure that it’s true - about the country I mean?
I don’t know much about Sweden, maybe what will come to my mind when I hear Sweden is their football team and how they performed very well in the last Euro cup in Portugal

Heard about Swedish meatballs, Per Gessle or Hannah Graaf?
No, at all..

Why do you think you won the election? You had some pretty good competition one must say.
I think I had one of the best speeches amongst other candidates, achieving good results with the small nation Misr in the last U20 WC and having some popular users in Sweden supporting me in the conferences
What is it that really differs you from the other coaches that were in the election? Anything concrete that you can come to think of?
Maybe main difference I had than other candidates was that I had the experience of coaching an U20 team, and the impressive results I had with U20 Misr.

How do you think your coaching will be affected by the fact that you’re from another country? “even” from a complete different culture?
I don’t think my coaching will ever differ, at the end it is a game, and culture differences isn’t available in Hattrick, or if it is I don’t think it will affect me.

One of the national coaches in Sweden, a couple of seasons ago it was (might still be) the the greatest challange in the game. Do you feel the pressure to succeed? Are you nervous that a great deal of the ‘mighty’ swedish coaches might not fall in line to support you as they might had for a swedish coach?
Still didn’t face the pressure yet, but I am sure I will especially during the WC.

Don’t you think there is a risk that people in Sweden have failed to recognize the importance of homefield advantage when judging your abilities as a coach based on your achievements as a U20 coach for Egypt?
Maybe some of them forgot about it, but there were some who remembered, and mentioned it in the conferences, and I replied to it. Home team advantage is estimated to be 2-3 levels of midfield. I think this is an accurate estimation, and other U20 and NT coaches can verify this I beleive.

Any butterflies? Are you nervous, excited or both about the task that is in front of you?
Till now excited. Will be nervous when the WC comes, especially in the final stages
Tell us a little about your tactical thinking, what lies hidden beneath in the mastermind?
I take my time to study my opponent, know his strong and week points, try to track his players before and after training, and finally try to expect what he is planning for me, but I mainly try to line up a tactic which will win in whatever tactic my opponent plays.

Which of the pretty newly introduced tactics (counterattack, AIM etc) Do you prefer, and why?
Mainly counter attacking, I think it works good if you plan it correctly. And AIM as well as it gives extra strength in the central attack if needed.

Is this something that you’ll be trying out with Sweden aswell? Trying different formations, tactics etc?
Tactics I might think of using is counter attacking to surprise my opponents, and AIM incase I need to strengthen my central attack against a not easy opponent.

HT 6.6(.2-3) was newly introduced, mainly due to all the divine marks, What do you think about the new marks(grades)?
Well, till now I only use the new grades incase I want to study my opponent more deeply, but normally I still use the old ratings.. What I think about them, I would have liked to see more levels instead of halfing down the ratings, but that is what the developers decided and we should cope with it.

How do you like the other changes that were made as 6.6(.2-3) was introduced? The new saleryformula etc?
Since my team is still relatively small, and I don’t own the great players with great salaries that might affect my team, I don’t know much about the new formula, but I like the idea of having less salaries for players with secondary skills.

Whats missing in the 6.6(.2-3) package according to you? What would you Like to see in - say - the 7.0 (6.6.7 or what the hecks next) version?
What I always waiting for, is to award newly established teams with coaches higher than weak, inadequate could be ok or even passable.. Nothing else in my mind at the moment

Whats your objective for the Swedish team the next U20 World Cup? Gold? Top three?
GOLD !

What players (- or which single player) do you think will be the most important one(s) in the future for the U20 national team? Why?
Its probably a 19 yo player, but who exactly I still don’t know because my 19 yo squad is not complete yet.

Is there a chance that you might consider coaching another U20 team after Sweden? Or do you feel that Swedens team is the peak, basically the Best U20 team you can coach? Certainly it outta be one of the most important ‘jobs’ around?
Not sure yet, but what I am sure of that after finishing my job with U20 Sverige, I will take a rest thenmaybe try to look for an NT to coach it not U20.

Any Swedish coaches that you look up to? That you respect a little greater then others? Any international coaches? (Why, whom and so on ..) Any mentors?
DrDDD is a coach whome I follow long time ago and he always made me interested in his team and follow it and how he performes.

I wish you the best of luck with your new task, I really hope it works out and that you can bring us “home” a goldmedal!
I hope so too