Wael El Hindi and an international support team give Abou the edge 
By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor

Mohamed Abouelghar came very close to a surprise win over Karim Abdel Gawad in the recent PSA World Series Finals in Cairo. It was a quality performance from the 25-year-old, showing just how much he has improved this season with an international support team working hard in the background. 

Abouelghar had already beaten Gawad in his round-robin qualifying group, also toppling Paul Coll after losing to Ali Farag in his opening match.

In the semi-finals Abouelghar produced a stunning display to beat Tarek Momen after losing the opening game.

The final lasted 92 minutes, and, at 10-10 in the fifth, it was anybody’s. But Gawad got the edge in those vital points to win the title in front of an excited Cairo crowd at the open-air court erected at the Mall of Arabia.

Abouelghar’s performances this season have shown a significant improvement after hooking up with coach Wael El Hindi (based in New York), sports science experts Joerg Stadelmann and his girlfriend Laura Northeast, who live in the wilds of Essex. Back home in Egypt, he continues to work with lifelong friend Mohamed Farid.

Everyone in squash knows the flamboyant racket work that El Hindi employed on court during his heyday, not to mention a unique fashion sense.

Abouelghar is displaying the same kind of outrageous confidence in his racket ability, now backed up by some solid work on and off court to improve every area of his game, both physically and mentally. He began the season strongly, winning the China Open in September, beating Gregory Gaultier in the quarter-finals, Saurav Ghosal in the semis, and Coll in the final.

He won the Motor City Open in February this year, winning a tough quarter-final against Adrian Waller 11-9 in the fifth, beating Zahed Salem in the semi-finals and Diego Elias in another five-setter in the final. 

One of Abouelghar’s most significant results of the season was a four-game victory over new world champion Ali Farag in the quarter-finals of the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich. All the while he was picking up enough points to make the World Tour Finals, squeezing in as the eighth-ranked player.

After beating Farag, he lost in the Grasshopper semis to Momen, who had also beaten him in the third round of the World Championships in Chicago, so that victory over Momen in Cairo must have tasted sweet.

Here we get to meet the team behind one of squash’s rising stars.

1: It’s great to see Mohamed rising to a career high of No.7 in the PSA World rankings for June 2019, and doing so well in the World Series Finals. Please tell us about the work you have been doing together?

A: So many variables factor into competing at the highest level. Obviously the athlete himself, genetics and physiological characteristics; psychological elements such as personality and motivation and then the environment in which he competes, trains and develops in. Support from parents, family, friends and coaches are also important. Abou’s work ethic, resilience, dedication and talent aside, it is important to not forget that his previous coaches and family have laid the foundation for his current success, without their contribution our current work would be much more difficult, if not impossible.

We view squash as a team sport, we as a team, win together and we lose together. Within the team responsibilities are clearly defined and each team member is accountable for the outcome. We try to focus on the controllable and optimizable factors rather than worrying about what we can’t influence. Ultimately the most important thing is to prepare Abou for the physical, psychological and technical/tactical demands of world elite squash; we are happy that we have found a formula which suits him.

2: How did you all connect in the first place?

A: In 2014 Joerg was working as a physiologist/sports psychologist for a Sports Medicine clinic in London when Alister Walker just happened to wander in one day during the Canary Wharf Classic. (You were probably MC’ing as it happened, Alan!). This relationship led to connections with Tarek Momen, Karim Gawad, Mohamed and a number of other players – mostly from Egypt.

Abou has been training with Mohamed Farid, his hitting coach, since 2008. He has been through it all really and he has been with Abou since the U13s and therefore knows exactly how Abou operates.

In the summer of 2018 Wael El Hindi joined the team. It goes without saying that his work has benefited Abou’ s squash greatly. Wael was a hugely gifted player and is bringing something special into Abou’s game.

3: Please tell us about your own backgrounds in sport.

A: Joerg Stadelmann: a professional football player (Goalkeeper in Austria, US, UK).
Laura Northeast: played squash from a young age then got into running and is a fitness fanatic to this day!
Wael El Hindi: is the former world number 7 and an extremely talented player who is now coaching in the States.
Mohamed Farid: he played numerous national tournaments in Egypt and started coaching Abou at the age of 21.

Coincidentally Joerg and Laura have similar academic backgrounds, which they discovered when they met in Florida while Joerg was playing football and Laura was working at Chris Evert’s tennis academy. Both have Masters degrees in Psychology and Sport Science/Physiology.

4: What specific knowledge and strengths did you bring with you to help Mohamed?

A: Wael, as former world number 7, brings a wealth of squash expertise to the table which has helped Abou tremendously. Through Wael’s experience and coaching he has matured on and off court. Laura and Joerg use their academic backgrounds to optimise fitness, psychology and nutrition. Joerg has also played about 450 games as a professional goalkeeper and therefore knows what elite sports is about. Since Farid and Abou have been working together since 2008, he knows Abou’s mentality and way of operating inside out; his contribution to Abou’s development as an athlete is huge.

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5: What shape was Mohamed in when you started work, and how do you think he is performing now?

A: Mohamed first came to England five years ago. He was an easy canvas to build upon; very skillful, already fit, dedicated, resilient and open to new approaches. It was more about implementing a structured programme to build on those strengths and correct any weaknesses with the aim of allowing him to get as much squash training in as possible while keeping him healthy. The sports science facilities at Writtle University (in Chelmsford, Essex) allow us to conduct physiological and biomechanical diagnostics and then design tailored training blocks.

6: How easy or difficult is it to communicate between England, Egypt and the US?

A: With technology constantly evolving it is quite easy to put platforms and tools in place to facilitate constant exchange between all team members; for example all training prescriptions and plans are online, available wherever the tour takes Abou. We also have regular conference calls during which we discuss squash, fitness and psychological topics.

7: Logistically, how does it work? Do you go to Egypt, or does Mohamed travel to England?

A: Both. Mohamed has been here a number of times. He’ll either stay in London or with Laura and Joerg. Here we can utilise the Sport Science laboratory at Writtle University (Laura’s workplace) for the more advanced measurements such as specific endurance, strength and power tests. Last summer Joerg and Laura went to El Gouna (to support Mohamed Abouelghar and Mohamed Reda) and Joerg has been to Cairo twice to see the players. Abou also regularly spends time with Wael in New York, where they can utilise top-class facilities.

8: Without giving away too many secrets, what are the most important aspects of your work together?

A: The most important aspect is that Abou is very dedicated, resilient, talented and hungry; he is not only a great athlete to work with but also a nice and humble guy.

We have a respectful but honest team culture, we set high standards, and we challenge each other constantly. This environment allows people to learn from mistakes and take responsibility. All of us agree that development is a process and quick fixes or magic does not exist. On this basis everyone is willing to work hard towards a common goal.

9: Mohamed, how do you see the relationship developing?

A: Squash for me is a team sport and I need the right people around me in order to move forward and develop. I am very lucky to have knowledgeable and dedicated coaches around me who I can also trust on a personal level and not only professionally. I think having this relationship of trust is very important to have as an athlete.

10: Mohamed, from your point of view, what was the highlight of the season?

A: I think, I played well throughout the season. Winning two big titles and winning against players that I have never beaten before was great but reaching the World Series Finals would definitely come on top given the fact that it was in Egypt in front of my home crowd and family. It was really special.

11: What does the future hold for you now? How do you prepare for the ultimate challenge in squash, competing on level terms with the six guys above you at the top of the rankings: Ali Farag, Mohamed ElShorbagy, Tarek Momen, Karim Abdel Gawad, Simon Rosner and Paul Coll?

A: I am now in in my off-season but will be starting pre-season soon. We have set the goals for next season and together we plan on what has to be done. I do not really pay attention to rankings because I believe it is a big distraction. The goal is to be the best player I can be and develop. The focus is more on the process and what I can really influence, if we can do this then the results will take care of themselves.

Pictures courtesy of PSA

PELETIER, N.C. – Mark Watson has been named as the new general manager at Bobby Watson’s Carteret County Speedway.

Watson, 58, from Lucama, N.C., was named general manager as part of Carteret County Speedway’s continued commitment to carrying out the late Bobby Watson’s dream.  Watson brings a plethora of experience to Carteret County Speedway.

“Mark has been involved in the sport for decades and he knows the racers and knows what it takes to make this track continue to succeed,” Carteret County Speedway track owner Bob Lowery said.  “He is committed and has been committed to this track since day one and we look forward to seeing this track grow under his leadership.”

Watson has been involved in racing for three decades and has worked with Carteret County Speedway since the track’s inaugural race in September 2015.  Throughout the years, he has been a competitor, has operated tracks, and has worked with multiple tracks in Eastern North Carolina.

“I’m excited to help carry out Bobby’s dream and help the track move forward,” Watson said.  “We’re working to keep improving as we move forward in this new venture.  I’ll still be visible on race days and I’m looking forward to working with the drivers and with Bob and the staff at Carteret County Speedway.”

A number of teams were able to significantly change their franchise's fortunes in the first round of the 2019 NHL draft. And many more managed to add key players of real significance to the fold.

Here's a look at the teams that have new No. 1 prospects in their system, the best value picks from each round of the draft and four project selections whom I find particularly intriguing even though they will need some extra time to find their way. I also spoke with some scouts after the 217 names were called for some team insight into how the draft played out.

Jump to each section below, and for full breakdowns on each team's picks, check out our draft grades.

New No. 1 prospects | What the scouts are saying
Best value picks | Development picks
Draft grades | Every pick

TEAMS WITH A NEW NO. 1 PROSPECT

New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes, C (No. 1)

Hughes obviously vaults to the top of the Devils' system, which wasn't terribly deep to begin with. He likely won't stay a prospect for long, though, as he's expected to be on the Devils' opening night roster and play the entirety of the season in the NHL. New Jersey also has high-end offensive defenseman Ty Smith and the speedy Jesper Boqvist in the system, and both could push for roster spots next season.

In general, the Devils added some real value to their system in the draft due to their sheer volume of picks. Graeme Clarke, Arseny Gritsyuk and Patrick Moynihan have the best chance to outperform their draft slots, but don't be fooled. The 2019 draft was all about landing Hughes. The Devils get faster and more skilled -- and became a bigger offensive threat -- just by adding him.

New York Rangers: Kaapo Kakko, RW (No. 2)

VANCOUVER -- For an NHL player with carefully cultivated fashion sense, P.K. Subban was unprepared for his trade to the New Jersey Devils.

"I got no merch. I got no memorabilia with New Jersey Devils on it," he said during a reaction video posted on social media, picking up a red and black water bottle as the next best thing.

The Devils, meanwhile, were prepared. Team president Hugh Weber told the ESPN On Ice podcast that the Devils called in extra help in their ticket department on Saturday morning in anticipation of the trade and to take advantage of the buzz after the team drafted American center Jack Hughes first overall in the NHL draft on Friday.

The Subban trade was the weekend's most stunning transaction, as the Nashville Predators traded the former Norris Trophy winner for defenseman Steven Santini, prospect Jeremy Davies and a second-round pick in 2019 and 2020. The 2019 second-rounder was subsequently flipped to the Flyers in exchange for picks No. 45 (Egor Afanasyev) and No. 65 (Alexander Campbell).

The reason the Predators traded Subban was also the reason the Devils landed him: His $9 million cap hit through 2022. There were four teams in the derby for Subban, and the Devils were the only one willing to absorb the entire contract.

"That was a big factor," Nashville GM David Poile said, thus the 30-year-old defenseman was headed to New Jersey.

"Are you guys ready for the Subbanator? Because I'm ready to go!" Subban exclaimed in his video message:

#Smashville - I love you! Thank you to the @PredsNHL team, teammates, fans and community for embracing me over the past three years. Ready for this next chapter... @NJDevils are you ready for the Subbanator? ?☝?? pic.twitter.com/rkPkkqRKRT

— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) June 22, 2019

Better question: Are the Devils ready for what Subban and Hughes can give them?

Envisioning the lineup

Subban and Hughes make this team exponentially more dangerous.

The Devils averaged 2.67 goals per game last season, 25th in the NHL. Their power play was at 17.7%, which was 21st. In 2017-18, when the Devils made the playoffs, they were 15th and 10th in those categories. This is the difference between having Taylor Hall for a Hart Trophy season vs. having him for 33 games.

The reality for the Devils is they had two legitimate goal-scoring threats on the roster: Hall, who had 11 in those 33 games, and Kyle Palmieri, who ended up with 27 goals on the season. That they played on the same line, with Nico Hischier (47 points) in the middle, made the Devils a rather top-heavy team.

Enter Hughes, who is going to be asked to anchor his own line immediately. It'll be interesting to see who surrounds him on that line. In theory, the best move would be to slide Palmieri on his wing; Hughes is a rare talent when it comes to his playmaking ability at full velocity. Given that making the leap to the NHL as a 200-foot player is most difficult for young centers, perhaps the Devils will add another established player to his line to, say, handle some draws. Pavel Zacha comes to mind.

If Palmieri does come off the Hall line, 20-year-old Jesper Bratt would seem like a natural fit with Hischier, and he played with him before.

The Devils have some quality grunts down the lineup in Blake Coleman (22 goals), Miles Wood (an agitator), John Hayden (just picked up from Chicago) and elder statesman Travis Zajac, a 33-year-old center whose 19 goals were his most since 2010. The X factor is Jesper Boqvist. The smooth-skating 20-year-old left wing is making the leap from Sweden this season. Where he ultimately slots in will likely be determined by how quickly he adjusts to the North American game.

Devils GM Ray Shero is quite high on him. "Every team I get into [discussions] on a trade, they ask for Boqvist. So that tells me we shouldn't trade Boqvist," he said.

As for Subban, he plays right defense, so the Devils have a few options for a partner: Veterans Sami Vatanen and Andy Greene both play the left side, as does third-year player Will Butcher. Greene and Damon Severson saw the most ice time together last season, playing to a minus-11 in 5-on-5 goal differential. Butcher lost his D partner in Ben Lovejoy at the trade deadline. As with Boqvist at forward, the Devils have a rookie X factor on defense in Ty Smith, the 19-year-old 2018 first-round pick who played in the Western Hockey League last season. There has been speculation that he could partner up with Subban.

Subban and Hughes could have the biggest impact on the power play. Subban is one season removed from having 25 points on the man advantage; Butcher was the highest-scoring Devils defenseman on the power play last season, at 16 points. Hughes could slide into the "bumper" position for the power play, which has a 1-3-1 formation; essentially it's a puck-moving position designed to prevent opposing penalty kills from getting too aggressive on the perimeter.

What they'd like to add next

The most pressing need is a veteran goal-scoring winger who could play with Hughes, allowing the Hall line to remain intact -- if it's not broken, no need to fix it. There are a few interesting options on the unrestricted free-agent market, such as Gustav Nyquist of the Sharks, Anders Lee of the Islanders and former Ranger Mats Zuccarello, if he doesn't re-up with Dallas.

But Shero doesn't typically dabble in bloated UFA contracts with extended terms. Instead, if the Devils are to add scoring depth, it'll likely be with a move akin to the Subban one: Using the cap space to acquire other teams' cap casualties. To that end, a team such as the Vegas Golden Knights would be worth watching.

Managing the salary cap

The Devils have $25.77 million in cap space after the Subban trade, but they have just 15 players under contract. They need to hand new deals to restricted free agents Butcher, Zacha, Stefan Noesen, Mirco Mueller and Connor Carrick, and they need to fill some blanks up front.

It's the following season where things get interesting, as Hischier and Bratt both need their second contracts, and the Devils will need a new one for that Taylor Hall fellow. That's why the Devils are trying to strike while the cap space is large this season.

"There's a certain window to do things," Shero said.

Taylor Hall's future

Hall made headlines when he said he was taking a wait-and-see approach with the Devils after last season. Shero had no problem with that.

"It'll play itself out. There's certainly no drama on our end, except when people try to make it. He has one year left on his contract, and I hope to get to it much sooner than that. Let's play it out through the draft. Go through free agency. See where we go," he said during the NHL Awards.

Everything you need to know about Hall's value to the Devils can be gleaned from the fact that they ran the Subban trade by him the day before it was completed. (He signed off on it and said the two were friendly with each other.)

Winning the Jack Hughes Derby opened the door for Hall to stay with the Devils. Adding Subban kicked it open a bit more. But while the Devils could have an eight-year deal worth huge dollars ready for Hall, it all comes down to one thing for the former MVP as he turns 28 this November: He wants to win. Whether the Devils have shown him that they have a path to that end will determine his next course.

The off-ice impact

Will P.K. Subban have a marketing impact on the Devils' franchise?

"I hope so," said Shero, laughing at the obviousness of the question. "He might be the most marketable player in the league. We've never had that in New Jersey. The Devils were under the radar for a while."

Simply put, the Devils have never had an opportunity such as this to reach new audiences. They've never had a rookie as dynamic as Hughes. They've never had a personality as outsized as Subban -- and if they did, former general manager Lou Lamoriello did all he could to stifle personality and downplay marketing opportunities.

"I worked with Lou for a long time," Devils president Hugh Weber said. "It was a philosophy, and they had success."

But this is a different age for NHL players. Look no further than Subban, a ubiquitous presence on Twitter and Instagram, in a high-profile relationship with Olympian Lindsay Vonn.

"With 1.1 million Twitter followers, he might have more followers than half the teams in the league," Weber said.

"He's exciting, impactful, helpful to the team. He's great for the community. He engages, and it's heartfelt. And he candidly cares about growing hockey. You think about those three things coming to New Jersey -- that's exactly what we need."

Subban also gives the Devils something they haven't had since relocating from East Rutherford to Newark in 2007: a star player who is black in a city that's 49% black or African-American, according to population stats from 2017.

"Newark is a city on the rise. Eleven years ago, when the Prudential Center was built, it was done so as a catalyst to potentially help that community rebound," said Weber, who has been with the team for six years. "When the arena was being built, the community around it saw it as, like, a castle on the hill. They didn't go to games. They had friends who worked at the building, but they didn't really engage. We made a concerted effort in the last four or five years to engage in that community."

Of course, the greatest selling point for the Devils isn't their 30-year-old walking brand or their 18-year-old rookie sensation. The greatest selling point will be if they're part of a winning team. One thing is clear: New Jersey is a lot closer to that now than it was before the NHL draft weekend.

Frank Lampard has moved a step closer to landing the Chelsea job after Derby granted them permission to hold talks over the vacant position following Maurizio Sarri's exit.

Sources told ESPN FC on Friday that Chelsea expected to finalise Lampard's appointment on a three-year deal this week, having signalled that they were prepared to meet Derby's demand for £4 million in compensation.

Derby had offered Lampard a new contract in an attempt to get him to stay, but are now resigned to losing the man who led them to the Championship playoff final in his first season as a coach.

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A Derby statement read: "Derby County Football Club can confirm that they have granted permission for Chelsea Football Club to speak to Frank Lampard about the vacant managerial position at Stamford Bridge.

"With preseason fast approaching for both clubs it is hoped this will allow Chelsea to swiftly conclude their discussions.

"The club will make no further comment until it is appropriate to do so."

Lampard is expected be accompanied to Stamford Bridge by former Chelsea academy coach Jody Morris and long-time fitness coach Chris Jones.

He will also work closely with former Chelsea teammate Petr Cech, announced as the club's new technical and performance adviser on Friday.

Cech will provide advice on all football and performance matters, work to improve the pathway from the academy to the first-team squad and travel with the senior side home and away.

Another member of Chelsea's first Premier League title-winning team, Claude Makelele, has also been linked with a role helping to look after loan players, while academy coach Joe Edwards will be promoted.

England and Australia renew their age-old rivalry at Lord's. Follow the game live on ESPNcricinfo's blog. (If the blog doesn't load for you, please refresh your page.

Andrew McDonald is set to be named as the head coach of the Birmingham-based team in The Hundred, Birmingham Phoenix.

While earlier reports had suggested that Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, was frontrunner for the job, ESPNcricinfo understands that McDonald has been given the role after eight candidates were shortlisted for the position. Daniel Vettori, the former New Zealand allrounder, will be his assistant.

McDonald, a seam-bowling allrounder who was good enough to play four Tests for Australia, is only 38 but has quickly made a name for himself as a coach. As well as leading Victoria to two Sheffield Shield titles, he has coached them to victory in the one-day domestic title and Melbourne Renegades to their first BBL title in the 2018-19 season. He has also held coaching roles in the IPL (he has been bowling coach at Royal Challengers Bangalore) and in county cricket, where he led a revival of Leicestershire from a low base.

The appointment of Vettori as his deputy is, perhaps, more of a surprise. He has experienced relatively unsuccessful spells as a T20 coach at Middlesex, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Brisbane Heat, though Birmingham will hope his skills are more suited to the assistant role.

Bayliss was linked to the role after Paul Farbrace, his deputy at international level with Sri Lanka and England, was appointed as director of cricket at Warwickshire. It is understood that Worcestershire, the other club involved as part of the Birmingham-based team, were keen to ensure a proper process took place before any appointment was made, however, and at the end of that process, McDonald and Vettori will be appointed.