With reports claiming Egypt national team coach Hossam Hassan and Mohamed Salah have a strained relationship, the Pharaohs' manager has revealed where he stands with the African superstar.
Salah has endured a tumultuous period in the national team since the turn of 2024, with Egypt being knocked out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations at the round of 16 stage, which was widely regarded as a disappointment given that they had finished as runners-up in the previous tournament.
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Despite their short stay at the showpiece in the Ivory Coast, it was not without controversy as Salah sustained an injury in their second group match, forcing him to miss the rest of their tournament.
It was initially believed the 31-year-old would recover in time if Egypt had progressed to the final, but it was decided he would undergo treatment at his club Liverpool in England instead of with the team doctors in the Ivory Coast.
This caused huge backlash from Egyptian former players, pundits and fans, with some questioning the Premier League superstar's leadership and commitment to his country.
During the March international break, Salah was again unavailable for the north African giants despite being named in the provisional squad, with the Egyptian Football Association putting out a statement explaining that Liverpool had asked to have the player omitted from national team duty while he recovers at the club rather, to which they agreed.
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Now, with some suggestions that the relationship between Salah and Hassan – he took charge of the team in February, after Rui Vitoria left the job following their disappointing AFCON – remains strained, the 57-year-old boss has insisted there is no truth to such reports.
"Mohamed Salah is one of the best players in the world ever, which is an indisputable fact," Hassan said during a press briefing on Monday, according to FilGoal.
"There is no crisis between me and Mohamed Salah, and we communicate with him normally."
Hassan also expressed his concerns with the perceived drop in standard of Egyptian domestic football, calling for a transformation of the league.
"Egyptian football is currently suffering from a decline in level, and it is necessary to be frank about it," he added.
"In the past, we used to find several names when we asked about the best player in Egypt, while now we will only talk about two names.
"Some will say Zizou, others will say Imam Ashour, and then we will all be silent after that.
"The Egyptian league system must be changed, and there is no other solution. A new stage must be established that suits the requirements of the period that Egyptian football is experiencing."
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