View source for Jamal Taha

{{Short description|Association football player and coach (born 1966)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Family name hatnote|Khamis|Taha|lang=Lebanese}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jamal Taha
| image = Jamal Taha, 2019 (1).jpg
| image_size = 170
| caption = Taha in 2019
| fullname = Jamal Khamis Taha<ref name=GSA/>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|11|23|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Cairo]], Egypt<ref name=GSA/>
| position = [[Midfielder]]
| currentclub = 
| youthyears1 = 1977–1986
| youthclubs1 = [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]]
| years1 = 1986–2002
| clubs1 = [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]]
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| nationalyears1 = 1993–2000
| nationalteam1 = [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon]]
| nationalcaps1 = 71
| nationalgoals1 = 12
| manageryears1 = 2005–2006
| managerclubs1 = [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]] (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 2006–2008
| managerclubs2 = [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]]
| manageryears3 = 2011–2013
| managerclubs3 = [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]]
| manageryears4 = 2013–2015
| managerclubs4 = [[Shabab Al Sahel FC|Shabab Sahel]]
| manageryears5 = 2015–2016
| managerclubs5 = [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]]
| manageryears6 = 2017–2018
| managerclubs6 = [[Tadamon Sour SC|Tadamon Sour]]
| manageryears7 = 2019–2020
| managerclubs7 = [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon]] (assistant)
| manageryears8 = 2020–2021
| managerclubs8 = [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon]]
| manageryears9 = 2021–2022
| managerclubs9 = [[Lebanon national under-23 football team|Lebanon U23]]
| manageryears10 = 2022–2023
| managerclubs10 = [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]]
| manageryears11 = 2025–
| managerclubs11 = [[Lebanon national under-23 football team|Lebanon U23]]
}}
'''Jamal Khamis Taha''' ({{langx|ar|جمال خميس طه}}; born 23 November 1966) is a [[Association football|football]] coach and former player who is the head coach of the [[Lebanon national under-23 football team|Lebanon national under-23 team]]. Born in Egypt, he played for the [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon national team]] between 1993 and 2000, whom he [[Captain (association football)|captained]] at the [[2000 AFC Asian Cup|2000 Asian Cup]].

== Early life ==
Jamal Taha was born in [[Cairo]], Egypt,<ref name=GSA>{{GSA player|jamal-taha/253827|access-date=2020-11-15}}</ref> to an Egyptian father and a Lebanese mother; he obtained [[Lebanese nationality law|Lebanese citizenship]] through [[naturalization]] in 1992 via a presidential decree.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-17 |title=جمال طه مدربا لمنتخب الأرز |url=https://www.lebanese-forces.com/2020/06/17/jamal-taha/ |access-date=2022-02-04 |website=Lebanese Forces Official Website |language=en-US}}</ref> Taha joined [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]]'s youth team in 1977.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=JAMAL TAHA |url=https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/jamal%20taha.html |access-date=2019-05-30 |website=abdogedeon.com}}</ref>

== Club career ==
Nicknamed "the Brown Gazelle" ({{Langx|ar|الغزال الأسمر}}),<ref>{{Cite web|title=جمال طه مدرباً لمنتخب لبنان..وحيدر: سنساعد الاندية!|url=http://arabia.eurosport.com/article/كرة-القدم/الدوري-اللبناني/جمال-طه-مدرباً-لمنتخب-لبنان..وحيدر-سنساعد-الاندية|access-date=2020-06-21|website=arabia.eurosport.com}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Taha began his senior career with [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]] in 1986, where he ended his career in 2002.<ref name=":0" /> He wore the number 6 on his jersey,<ref name=":5" /> and was the club's captain from 1997 onwards.<ref name=":0" />

== International career ==
Taha was the [[Lebanon national football team|national team]]'s captain during the [[2000 AFC Asian Cup]] in Lebanon.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2017-11-11|title='Focus on the future' Maatouk tells team|language=en|work=Arab News|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1191601/sports|access-date=2018-10-09}}</ref>

== Managerial career ==

=== Ansar ===
Taha started out as [[Adnan Hamad]]'s assistant manager at [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]] during the [[2005–06 Lebanese Premier League|2005–06 season]]; he helped his side win the [[Double (association football)|domestic double]] ([[Lebanese Premier League]] and [[Lebanese FA Cup]]).<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Mezher|first=Rawad|date=18 June 2020|title=جمال طه|url=https://www.facebook.com/rawadmezherofficial/posts/2684671581639377|access-date=18 June 2020|via=Facebook|language=ar}}</ref> The following season, in [[2006–07 Lebanese Premier League|2006–07]], Taha was appointed the first manager of Ansar, winning Ansar's second consecutive domestic double.<ref name=":3" /> He remained head coach until the end of the [[2007–08 Lebanese Premier League|2007–08 season]], where he lost the league title to [[Al Ahed FC|Ahed]] by one point.<ref name=":3" />

In July 2011, Taha was re-appointed manager of Ansar, staying there until the end of the [[2012–13 Lebanese Premier League|2012–13 season]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Lebanon – Jamal Taha – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/coaches/jamal-taha/217182/|access-date=2020-06-07|website=int.soccerway.com}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2013-09-10|title=جمال طه مدرباً لشباب الساحل|url=https://www.annahar.com/article/65725-%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%B7%D9%87-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%84|access-date=2020-06-07|website=An-Nahar}}</ref> He won the [[2011–12 Lebanese FA Cup]], and the 2012 [[Lebanese Super Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lebanon – List of Cup Winners|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/lebcuphist.html|access-date=2020-06-07|publisher=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref>

=== Shabab Sahel and Tadamon Sour ===
On 10 September 2013, he took charge of [[Shabab Al Sahel FC|Shabab Sahel]];<ref name=":2" /> he won the [[Lebanese Challenge Cup]] in 2014. After two seasons he returned to Ansar, managing them during the [[2015–16 Lebanese Premier League|2015–16 season]], before resigning after the first league game of the [[2016–17 Lebanese Premier League|following season]] in September 2016.<ref name=":1" /> In January 2017, Taha became manager of [[Tadamon Sour SC|Tadamon Sour]] until June 2018.<ref name=":1" />

=== Lebanon ===
On 3 June 2019, he was appointed assistant manager of the [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon national team]] under [[Liviu Ciobotariu]]'s tenure.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Abou Diab|first=Rami|date=2019-06-04|title=Liviu Ciobotariu has been appointed as the new Lebanon head coach|url=https://www.falebanon.com/liviu-ciobotariu-has-been-appointed-as-the-new-lebanon-head-coach/|access-date=2020-06-07|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-US|archive-date=9 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609015533/https://www.falebanon.com/liviu-ciobotariu-has-been-appointed-as-the-new-lebanon-head-coach/|url-status=dead}}</ref> After one year, on 17 June 2020, the [[Lebanese Football Association]] (LFA) decided not to extend Ciobotariu's contract, and appointed Taha as the national team's coach.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Mahfoud|first=Maroun|date=2020-06-17|title=Official: Jamal Taha is the new coach for the Lebanese national team|url=https://www.falebanon.com/official-jamal-taha-is-the-new-coach-for-the-lebanese-national-team/|access-date=2020-06-17|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-US}}</ref> He became the first Lebanese coach of the national team in almost 12 years, since the appointment of [[Emile Rustom]] in November 2008.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=العودة إلى المدرّب الوطنيّ: جمال طه الخيار المنطقيّ!|url=https://al-akhbar.com/Sport_Lebanon/290387|access-date=2020-06-23|website=الأخبار|language=ar}}</ref><ref name=":42">{{Cite web|title=الاتحاد اللبناني يعين أميل رستم مديرا فنيا لمنتخب كرة القدم {{!}} Radiosawa|url=https://www.radiosawa.com/archive/2008/11/05/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%81%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A8-%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85|access-date=2020-06-11|website=radiosawa.com|language=ar}}</ref>

Under Taha, Lebanon underperformed in their last three fixtures of the [[2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|second round]] of [[2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|2022 FIFA World Cup qualification]], struggling to overcome [[Sri Lanka national football team|Sri Lanka]] 3–2,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Asian Qualifiers – Group H: Lebanon beat Sri Lanka to boost hopes {{!}} Football {{!}} News {{!}} Asian Qualifiers 2022|url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/news/asian-qualifiers-group-h-lebanon-beat-sri-lanka-to-boost-asian-qualifiers-hopes|access-date=2021-07-22|website=the-AFC|language=en-GB}}</ref> and losing against [[Turkmenistan national football team|Turkmenistan]] and [[South Korea national football team|South Korea]];<ref>{{Cite web|title=Asian Qualifiers – Group H: Turkmenistan dent Lebanon's hopes with late win {{!}} Football {{!}} News {{!}} Asian Qualifiers 2022|url=https://www.the-afc.com/competitions/afc-asian-cup/news/asian-qualifiers-group-h-turkmenistan-dent-lebanon-s-hopes-with-late-win|access-date=2021-07-22|website=the-AFC|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=유지호|date=2021-06-13|title=S. Korea beat Lebanon to wrap up undefeated run in 2nd round in World Cup qualifying|url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210613001800315|access-date=2021-07-22|website=Yonhap News Agency|language=en}}</ref> Lebanon qualified Lebanon to the [[2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC third round|third round]] as fifth-best runner-up by virtue of other results going in their favour.<ref>{{Cite web|title=السعودية إلى النهائيات القارية والدور الحاسم من تصفيات المونديال|url=https://www.alkhaleej.ae/2021-06-16/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%84/%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A/%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6%D8%A9|access-date=2021-07-22|website=صحيفة الخليج|language=ar}}</ref> Taha's tenure wasn't extended following the expiration of his one-year contract on 30 June 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-16|title=هاسيك يخلف جمال طه|url=https://www.nidaalwatan.com/article/53146-%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B9%D8%A9-1%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%83-%D9%8A%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%81-%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%B7%D9%87|access-date=2021-07-22|website=نداء الوطن|language=en}}</ref>

=== Lebanon U23 ===
On 27 September 2021, Taha was announced as head coach of the [[Lebanon national under-23 football team|Lebanon national under-23 team]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-27|title=الاتحاد اللبناني يعتمد مدربي المنتخبات ومسؤولي اللجان|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1072155|access-date=2021-09-28|website=كووورة}}</ref>

=== Return to Ansar ===
On 26 June 2022, Taha returned as head coach of Ansar.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-26 |title=رسميًا.. جمال طه مدربًا للأنصار |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1151076 |access-date=2022-06-26 |website=كووورة}}</ref>

=== Return to Lebanon U23 ===
In January 2025, Taha returned as head coach of the Lebanon national under-23 team.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

== Career statistics ==
=== International ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| rowspan="8" |[[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon]]
|1993||8||1
|-
|1994||0||0
|-
|1995||1||1
|-
|1996||7||3
|-
|1997||9||1
|-
|1998||7||4
|-
|1999||2||0
|-
|2000||9||1
|-
! colspan="2" |Total||43||11
|}

:''Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Taha goal''.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of international goals scored by Jamal Taha
|-
!scope=col | No.
!scope=col | Date
!scope=col | Venue
!scope=col | Opponent
!scope=col | Score
!scope=col | Result
!scope=col | Competition
!scope=col class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
| align="center" | 1
|7 May 1993
|[[Bourj Hammoud Stadium]], [[Beirut]], Lebanon
|{{fb|IND}}
| align="center" |2–0
| align="center" |2–2
|[[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 2
|6 December 1995
|Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon
|{{fb|SVK|name=Slovakia XI}}
| align="center" |1–1
| align="center" |2–1
|[[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 3
|12 May 1996
|Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon
|{{fb|TKM}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |3–1
|[[1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 4
|5 December 1996
|[[Beirut Municipal Stadium]], Beirut, Lebanon
|{{fb|GEO|variant=1990}}
| align="center" |3–2
| align="center" |4–2
|Friendly
|
|-
| align="center" | 5
|8 December 1996
|Beirut Municipal Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon
|{{fb|GEO|variant=1990}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |3–2
|Friendly
|
|-
| align="center" | 6
|2 February 1997
|Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon
|{{fb|JOR}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–0
|Friendly
|
|-
| align="center" | 7
|19 October 1998
|[[Abu Dhabi]], United Arab Emirates
|{{fb|SUD}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–1
|[[Exhibition game|1998 Friendship Tournament]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 8
|30 November 1998
|[[Surat Thani Province Stadium|Surat Thani Provincial Stadium]], [[Surat Thani]], Thailand
|{{fb|CHN}}
| align="center" |1–2
| align="center" |1–4
|[[Football at the 1998 Asian Games – Men|1998 Asian Games]]
|
|-
| align="center" | 9
| rowspan="2" |4 December 1998
| rowspan="2" |Surat Thani Provincial Stadium, Surat Thani, Thailand
| rowspan="2" |{{fb|CAM}}
| align="center" |1–0
| rowspan="2" align="center" |5–1
| rowspan="2" |1998 Asian Games
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" |4–1
|-
| align="center" | 11
|13 May 2000
|[[Limassol]], Cyprus
|{{fb|JOR}}
| align="center" |–
| align="center" |1–1
|Friendly
|
|}

=== Managerial ===
{{updated|23 June 2021}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Managerial record by club and tenure
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="5"|Record
!rowspan="2"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
!{{Tooltip|M|Matches coached}}
!{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}}
!{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}}
!{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}}
!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}
|-
|[[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]] || December 2006 || July 2008
{{WDL|50|34|11|5|decimals=1}}
|<ref name=":3" />
|-
| [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]] || July 2011 || June 2013
{{WDL|56|27|16|13|decimals=1}}
| <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
|-
| [[Shabab Al Sahel FC|Shabab Sahel]] || September 2013 || June 2015
{{WDL|57|19|17|21|decimals=1}}
| <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
|-
| [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]] || July 2015 || September 2016
{{WDL|33|16|10|7|decimals=1}}
| <ref name=":1" />
|-
| [[Tadamon Sour SC|Tadamon Sour]] || January 2017 || June 2018
{{WDL|40|15|10|15|decimals=1}}
| <ref name=":1" />
|-
| [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon]] || June 2020 || June 2021
{{WDL|7|2|1|4|decimals=1}}
| <ref name=":4" />
|-
!colspan="3"|Total
{{WDLtot|243|113|65|65|decimals=1}}
!
|}

== Honours ==

=== Player ===
'''Ansar'''
* [[Lebanese Premier League]]: [[1987–88 Lebanese Premier League|1987–88]], [[1989–90 Lebanese Premier League|1989–90]], [[1990–91 Lebanese Premier League|1990–91]], [[1991–92 Lebanese Premier League|1991–92]], [[1992–93 Lebanese Premier League|1992–93]], [[1993–94 Lebanese Premier League|1993–94]], [[1994–95 Lebanese Premier League|1994–95]], [[1995–96 Lebanese Premier League|1995–96]], [[1996–97 Lebanese Premier League|1996–97]], [[1997–98 Lebanese Premier League|1997–98]], [[1998–99 Lebanese Premier League|1998–99]]
* [[Lebanese FA Cup]]: 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2001–02
* [[Lebanese Elite Cup]]: 1997, 2000
* [[Lebanese Federation Cup]]: 1999, 2000
* [[Lebanese Super Cup]]: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999

'''Individual'''
* [[Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season]]: [[1996–97 Lebanese Premier League|1996–97]],<ref name=":1997">{{Cite news|date=31 March 1997|title=|script-title=ar:مهرجان كرة المنار|language=ar|edition=166|pages=3|work=Shoot}}</ref> [[1998–99 Lebanese Premier League|1998–99]]<ref name=":1999">{{Cite news|date=5 July 1999|title=|script-title=ar:مهرجان كرة المنار|language=ar|edition=288|pages=8|work=Shoot}}</ref>

=== Manager ===
'''Ansar'''
* Lebanese Premier League: [[2006–07 Lebanese Premier League|2006–07]]
* Lebanese FA Cup: 2006–07, [[2011–12 Lebanese FA Cup|2011–12]]
* Lebanese Super Cup: 2012

'''Shabab Sahel'''
* [[Lebanese Challenge Cup]]: 2014

== See also ==
* [[List of Lebanon international footballers]]
* [[List of Lebanon international footballers born outside Lebanon]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{FA Lebanon|16434}}
* [https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/leb-jtaha-intl.html Jamal Taha] at [[RSSSF]]
* {{NFT player|32242}}
* {{Soccerway|217182}}
* {{GSA player|jamal-taha/253827}}
* {{Goalzz|115899}}

{{Lebanon squad 2000 AFC Asian Cup}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list1 = 
{{1996–97 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Year}}
{{1998–99 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Year}}
}}
{{Lebanon national football team managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taha, Jamal}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Cairo]]
[[Category:Egyptian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Lebanese men's footballers]]
[[Category:Egyptian emigrants to Lebanon]]
[[Category:Egyptian people of Lebanese descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Lebanese descent]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of Lebanon]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Al Ansar FC players]]
[[Category:Lebanese Premier League players]]
[[Category:Lebanon men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Asian Games footballers for Lebanon]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1998 Asian Games]]
[[Category:2000 AFC Asian Cup players]]
[[Category:Association football coaches]]
[[Category:Lebanese football managers]]
[[Category:Al Ansar FC managers]]
[[Category:Shabab Al Sahel FC managers]]
[[Category:Tadamon SC Sour managers]]
[[Category:Lebanon national football team managers]]
[[Category:Lebanese Premier League managers]]
[[Category:International sportspeople born abroad]]
[[Category:Naturalised association football players]]
[[Category:20th-century Egyptian sportsmen]]