New Egypt manager Hossam Hassan expressed his joy at leading the team and fulfilling his dream, emphasizing the importance of all his players, with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah at the forefront.
Hossam Hassan directed a message to the fans to support the national team and emphasized his confidence in their backing.
He also praised Mohamed Salah’s contributions, affirming that he was among the first to recognize his talent even before he turned professional.
Hossam Hassan expressed his astonishment at the question of fear regarding him as a coach, affirming that he had never heard such a question before when a foreign coach took over the role.
“It is an immense honor to lead the Egyptian national team and bring joy to the Egyptian people. I had always hoped to one day be in the position of coaching Egypt, and I am delighted to have received this appointment from the Egyptian people, the political leadership, and with the will of the Football Association,” Hassan said.
“I witnessed the great stature and significance of Egypt while interacting with African football legends and officials from various football associations. We are giants in the continent, and greatness must always be maintained.
“I bear a great responsibility towards the Egyptian people, and it is a great honor to have the trust of the fans and their desire for me to hold this position. I promise to exert maximum effort to achieve success in Egyptian football.
“Our success will only come through the unity of everyone, starting from the fans, whose unwavering support stems from their immense love for their country. I hope for the collaboration of the media and the administration.
“I seek support and patience in achieving success, as has happened before with many Egyptian icons and scholars in all fields. We want all elements to be patriotic in all fields, hence it is support for Egypt, not just for Hossam Hassan. I am just one element of the game.
“Mohamed Salah is a very important and successful player and a significant role model for Egyptian sports. It’s fantastic to have him as part of the national team setup, with his strong sense of belonging.”
When asked about his relationship with Salah, Hossam responded: “Every player is important for the national team, and throughout the history of Egyptian football, there have been great players, some of whom are now in the management of the Football Association.
“Any player in the world is subject to criticism, and we do not want to single out players. Every player is important, such as Salah, Trezeguet, El-Shenawy, and others. Anyone who helps the national team succeed and achieve victories will be present.
“What sets one player apart from another is their diligence on the field, and every player who benefits the national team is important. We welcome all players.
“I was one of the first to discover Mohamed Salah when he was at Zamalek and later during his time at Arab Contractors before turning professional.
“As for the guarantees I received? My presence and departure are in God’s hands, but the guarantee for me is my diligence and loyalty, along with my coaching staff. We hope to add something to Egyptian football, similar to Mahmoud El-Gohary and Hassan Shehata.”
“Fear of Hossam Hassan as a coach? I had never heard such a question before when a foreign coach assumed leadership of the national team, but thankfully, I have experience coaching great clubs in the Egyptian league. There have been coaches who led the Egyptian national team without prior international coaching experience, and I had the honor of coaching the Jordan national team, leading them to their farthest point.”
“The results are significant, especially for me and my coaching staff, and I believe what matters to the fans and the media is the performance, style of play, and player selection. If there is any shortcoming in the results, I will certainly consider stepping down from what I consider an important mission of coaching the national team.”
“We asked the Football Association not to portray us as a second party because it is not right for us to be seen as opposing Egypt.”
The decision to appoint the Hassan twins, Hossam and Ibrahim, came after the dismissal of Portuguese coach Rui Vitória following Egypt’s exit from the round of 16 of the AFCON after losing to DR Congo on penalties.
The new coaching staff will begin their first task in March when Egypt plays in the international friendly tournament against Croatia, New Zealand, and Tunisia.
The coaching staff of the Egyptian national team consists of Hossam Hassan as head coach, Ibrahim Hassan as team manager, Tarek Soliman as an assistant coach, Mohamed Abdelwahed as a coach, Saafan El-Sagheer as goalkeeping coach, Brazilian Manuel Barrionovo as fitness coach, and Walid Badr as team administrator.
This international experience will be the second for Hossam Hassan, after coaching the Jordan national team from June 2013 to July 2014.
