The Egyptian Football Association, led by Hany Abo Rida, has officially brought the curtain down on the journey of twins Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan with the senior national team, following the board's decision today to thank the coaching staff and terminate their mission permanently. This decisive move aims to put an end to the widespread controversy and mounting speculation that has gripped the Egyptian sports scene over the past few hours—speculation the Association initially attempted to quell with a vague statement calling for unity and calm, before the board made its final decision to pursue a comprehensive change to ensure the stability of the Pharaohs in upcoming continental competitions.
The decision-making compass within the EFA headquarters settled on selecting Ali Maher, the head coach of Ceramica Cleopatra, to take the helm of the Egyptian national team, succeeding 'El- العميد' (The Dean) during this delicate phase. The new coach is scheduled to assume his duties immediately to organize the closed training camp for this November and prepare the squad for the highly anticipated matches against Malawi on the thirteenth and seventeenth of the same month, as part of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The dismissal of the previous coaching staff resulted from a series of accumulated crises that accelerated the twins' departure. Foremost among these was the disciplinary sanction issued by FIFA, suspending Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan for three international matches following sharp remarks and protests that erupted after the Egyptian team's loss to Argentina by three goals to two in the round of 16 of the last World Cup. This suspension meant the head coach would be absent from the bench during the Malawi matches, managing the games from the stands while delegating field duties to assistant coach Tarek Soliman—a situation the Association's board deemed disruptive to technical preparations at the start of the qualifying campaign.
These logistical complications coincided with other crises off the pitch that further embarrassed the head coach, particularly following the Supreme Council for Media Regulation's decision to ban him from media appearances due to family disputes. Furthermore, reservations grew within the EFA board, accompanied by complaints from key national team players regarding the management style and the handling of training camps. Before the final decision was issued, Hossam Hassan offered only a brief comment, stating he had entrusted his affairs to God and confirming he had not received any official notification.
Thus, the national team begins a new era under the leadership of Ali Maher, in search of stability and the restoration of technical balance.
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