Football: Soccer-Vitoria rejects job offers as happy with Egypt, loves Salah

(Reuters) – Egypt coach Rui Vitoria said he had rejected lucrative job offers because he was very happy in his current role.

Local media reported in July that Vitoria had received offers to return to Saudi Arabia, as top coaches and players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema joined Saudi clubs.

Vitoria, who signed a four-year contract with Egypt last July, is familiar with Saudi football after leading Al-Nassr to the Saudi Pro league title in 2018-19.

“I may not seem like it, but all my life I have been an emotional person, and sometimes relationships with other people make me either satisfied or sad,” Portuguese coach Vitoria told beIN Sports on Wednesday.

“My conviction is that I came to Egypt to take on this challenge. I may win or I may lose, but I had the feeling and desire to take on the challenge.

“This is true. I have received offers from several parties, but as long as I am happy in my place, I will be here, and if I am not happy, I will be the first to say that I want to leave. I love being here and I love my relationship with the players.

“Financial temptations are important, of course, for all of us, but I also have my convictions, and I love being in Egypt,” the former Benfica coach added.

Vitoria said he had good memories from his time in Saudi Arabia.

“At first I had some concerns, but after that I was happy to work in Saudi Arabia. Of course there are differences between Europe and the Middle East,” he said.

“But as I said it was a very good period that opened new worlds and horizons for me, and therefore today I follow with satisfaction the Arab and Saudi openness to the world of football and the signing of great stars, and I am very happy with my previous experience there,” he added.

Vitoria praised Egypt captain Mohamed Salah.

“Salah is a player that I love very much on and off the field. He represents everything, in my opinion, that a player should have,” he said.

“He is extremely humble, light-hearted, transmits positive energy, has a tremendous focus on the professional level, and cares a lot about his team mates and the team, as well as a decisive player at the right time.”

(This story has been refiled to clarify the meaning in the headline without any changes to the text)

(Reporting by Osama Khairy; Editing by Toby Davis)