Official: Hossam Hassan sacked, Ali Maher appointed Egypt coach
The Egyptian Football Association announced on Saturday evening the dismissal of Hossam Hassan, the head coach of the senior national team, and the appointment of a new local coach, Ali Maher, the current manager of Ceramica Cleopatra FC.
The Football Association issued an official statement confirming that the decision came after a series of board meetings, stressing that the national team's best interests and maintaining its stability are a "top priority that cannot be compromised."
The statement explained: "After studying all the circumstances and events of the past period, and the resulting repercussions and negative impact on the positive image of our national team, the Board of Directors decided to thank Hossam Hassan and his technical and administrative staff based on the contract's terms." The Association appreciated the efforts made by Hassan during his tenure, wishing him success in his future career.
In a related context, the Association's board decided to assign coach Ali Maher to take over the technical duties of "the Pharaohs" for the upcoming period and asked him to present his comprehensive vision for forming the assistant technical staff.
The Association appealed to the Egyptian fans and supporters of the team to "continue their support and rally around the team during this important stage, to support its journey towards achieving the ambitions of its fans."
This dismissal comes as a major shock, especially since the Football Association had recently announced the renewal of Hossam Hassan's contract until 2030 as a reward for the excellent results he achieved in the 2026 World Cup (hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico). "The Pharaohs" had honorably exited the World Cup in the round of 16 after a thrilling and marathon loss to the Argentine team (the reigning champions at the time) with a score of (2-3).
Ali Maher will not have much time to prepare, as the Egyptian team is set to play two crucial matches during the international break this November against Malawi, as part of the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals, which are scheduled to be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
المصدر: Al Jazeera Net
