By Amr Shaheen BBC Sport, Cairo

Egypt's Hany Ramzy is considering his future

One of Africa's greatest footballers, Hany Ramzy of Egypt, is looking to the future as his playing career draws to a close.

Ramzy has been told that he will not play for Kaiserslautern again this season and has decided to begin some coaching courses as he plans for the future.

He says that he is considering working for the youth teams with Kaiserslautern, but he has not ruled out continuing his playing career elsewhere.

"I have talked to coach Kurt Jara and he told me that I have no chance of playing with the first team this season," he said.

"But I have also received offers from several Gulf clubs and at one point I also considered returning home to end my career with Al Ahly.

"But I'm very happy at Kaiserslautern and everyone here treats me very well.

"I'm at a stage in which I might also have to consider hanging up my boots.

"I just hope I'll be able to make my final appearance when my country hosts the African Cup of Nations next year."

The veteran defender has been hampered by a knee injury for most of the last two years and is still struggling to make a full recovery.

He first hit the headlines in Egypt as an 18-year-old with Al Ahly and then a year later he joined the national side that went on to reach the 1990 World Cup finals in Italy.

Following the finals he moved to Swiss club Neuchatel Xamax for an Egyptian record of US$1 million.

I was honored by being made national team captain Hany Ramzy

Ramzy eventually found his way to the Bundesliga where he played for Werder Bremen before joining Kaiserslautern in 1998.

The Pharaoh became so popular among the fans and young teenagers that his former coach at Bremen Otto Rehhagel once said: "He brings more teens and girls to the stadium."

However his good looks turned against him in 2002 when he was found guilty of sexual harassment and was given an eight-month suspended jail sentence.

"Those were the worst moments of my life," Ramzy admitted.

"This is the kind of thing that you would like to put behind you."

Ramzy says he has just one regret in his career: "I think I was unlucky not to win a European title either with Bremen or Kaiserslautern."

The highlights of Ramzy's career include those 1990 World Cup finals, helping Egypt lift the African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso eight years later and becoming the first Christian captain of the Pharaohs

"I was honored by being made national team captain, it meant a lot to me," he said.

As he plans a new future as a football coach when he retires, Ramzy, has already launched a football academy for youngsters back in his home country.