The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has officially dismissed national team coach Hossam Hassan, citing growing concerns over the negative impact of his personal life controversies on the image and stability of the squad. Officials stressed that maintaining internal discipline and focus within the national setup remains their absolute top priority.
Key Takeaways: The EFA terminated the contracts of Hossam Hassan and his coaching staff following a series of off-field scandals and media bans. Ali Maher, previously managing club side Ceramica Cleopatra, has been appointed as his successor ahead of upcoming qualifiers.
The dismissal came merely three days after Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation banned Hassan from appearing across media platforms due to an ongoing dispute involving his private life and former wife. Local reports indicated that legal representatives acting for Hassan had filed a complaint against his ex-wife, Dina Mostafa, alleging forgery and bigamy, claims which were subsequently denied by her representatives.
On-field tensions and friction with star forward Mohamed Salah also contributed to the coach's downfall. Following a 0-0 home draw with Angola in September, Hassan substituted Salah in the 60th minute, prompting the Liverpool and former Trabzonspor forward to leave the training camp amid a reported dispute over playing surfaces. Hassan concludes his tenure after 38 matches in charge, securing 21 wins, 10 draws, and 7 losses.
Newly appointed 52-year-old manager Ali Maher will take immediate control of the squad ahead of Egypt's crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Malawi on November 13 and 17, with mounting pressure to restore order and stability.
Source: www.aljazeera.com