Egypt’s New Manager Criticizes Salah Upon Liverpool Return from AFCON
Mohamed Salah, the star player for Liverpool FC, has had a turbulent few weeks when it comes to coaching. First, he received the news of Jurgen Klopp stepping down as Liverpool’s manager, and now he faces the challenge of dealing with a new manager at the international level who may not see eye to eye with him.
The disappointment began during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for Salah. Egypt suffered a shock early exit in the last 16 against DR Congo, leading to the departure of their Portuguese manager, Rui Vitoria. Salah, expressing his best wishes to Vitoria on social media, thanked him for everything and wished him the best for his future endeavors.
However, the situation took a turn when the new Egypt manager, Hossam Hassan, publicly criticized Salah in the media. Hassan, who is Egypt’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals, was working as a pundit when Salah left AFCON due to an injury and returned to Liverpool. This decision sparked controversy, but Klopp and both Liverpool and Egyptian Football Associations supported it, stating that it was in Salah’s best interest for his rehabilitation.
Hassan disagreed with this stance and voiced his opinion, stating that if Salah wanted to travel, he should not return to the national team again. He believed that Salah’s injury was not severe and that he could receive the necessary physiotherapy with the national team. Hassan argued that big clubs like Liverpool always send doctors and physical therapists with their top players to tournaments, so Salah would have access to the required facilities. He also emphasized the negative impact of Salah’s departure on Egypt’s team and their opponents’ advantage.
Furthermore, Hassan expressed how he would handle the situation if he were the Egypt manager. He would advise Salah to continue playing for Liverpool and reassure him that the national team had capable players to fill his absence. Hassan acknowledged Salah’s significant contributions to Egypt’s football success but emphasized the importance of putting the national team above individual desires.
It is worth noting that Hassan, who will now be managing Egypt, has a successful history as a player, having won the AFCON three times. Since retiring as a footballer in 2008, he has been involved in coaching.
In conclusion, Mohamed Salah finds himself in a challenging situation with a new Egypt manager who has publicly criticized him. The disagreement stems from Salah’s decision to leave AFCON and return to Liverpool for rehabilitation. While Salah expressed his gratitude to the former manager, Hossam Hassan believes that Salah should have continued with the national team despite his injury. It remains to be seen how this clash of opinions will affect Salah’s future with the Egyptian national team.