In Egypt, after the elimination of the Pharaohs at the 2023 AFCON, coach Hossam Hassan took over from Rui Vitoria, and he wants to be clear regarding Mohamed Salah.
The former captain of the Egyptian team has the mission to bring the Egyptian national team back to the forefront of the continental scene.
After losing in the final of the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon against Senegal, the Pharaohs completely faltered in Ivory Coast. They were eliminated in the group stage of the competition, only managing draws in all three matches they played.
Now, Hossam Hassan’s mission is to restore order to the Egyptian group, and the former player seems to be employing strong methods. In an interview, the new coach was not very lenient with his team captain Mohamed Salah. For him, Salah is not yet a legend for his country because he hasn’t won anything with the national team.
Here are Hossam Hassan’s full comments on Mohamed Salah:
“I played for my country, and no one convinced me to choose which tournament I should prioritize more than others. The AFCON is also the best tournament in the world, it’s an African tradition and pride. Playing for Egypt has always been a priority,” confessed the former captain of the Pharaohs.
“Now, we have Mo Salah who listens to people who choose for him which tournament is good for him. An Egyptian legend is chosen based on the number of titles they have won for the country, not for their club. We are upset as Egyptians because this is the first time this has happened to our national team. If a club boss tells Ronaldo not to give his all for Portugal, Cristiano will leave that club and tell the world exactly why. Lionel Messi will never put the interests of others before Argentina,” reminded the Egyptian coach.
Salah’s departure from the AFCON after his injury doesn’t sit well:
“In 2018, Mo Salah had a shoulder injury that was worse than the one they say he had in the UEFA Champions League final. He wanted to be with the national team to recover while being with the national team because it was a World Cup tournament. Now, it’s the AFCON tournament, and he leaves the national team to recover at Liverpool. In 2018, we had the same doctors who expedited his shoulder recovery for the World Cup, now they are weak doctors according to his and Liverpool’s attitude, simply because it’s the AFCON,” lamented the new coach.
“He needs to make a decision. Because as head coach, I am here to defend national interest rather than individual interest. Furthermore, he must keep in mind that he is not yet an Egyptian legend. He hasn’t won anything for us,” emphasized Hossam Hassan.
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