Hassan Shehata slams Egypt team and FA

Mohamed Salah of Egypt during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Finals football match between Egypt and DR Congo at the Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt on 26 June 2019 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Jul 09, 2019. 12:31

Former Egypt national team coach Hassan Shehata has slammed the Pharaohs and the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) following the hosts’ exit from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Egypt suffered a surprise 1-0 loss at the hands of South Africa in a last 16 clash on Saturday night, ending their dream of winning the tournament on home soil – something Shehata achieved as Pharaohs coach in 2006.

“I predicted that Egypt won’t go forward since the first game, if I was the head coach I would pick only five from this group of players,” Shehata told Sada El Balad channel.

“For whose benefit was the bias and favouritism in picking certain players over others? It has been confirmed that some players are more powerful than the EFA. Focusing on [Mohamed] Salah and [Mahmoud Hassan] Trezeguet is not a problem but we shouldn’t forget the rest of the players.

“I saw players jogging and walking on the pitch as well as some favouritism in choosing the players for the squad.”