Rogerio Micale’s agent Caio Zeller has confirmed that contract negotiations have stalled between his client and the EFA.
Following impressive campaigns in the 2023 U23 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2024 Paris Olympics, the EFA has revealed its intent to renew Rogerio Micale’s contract.
The Brazilian had his contract expire by the end of the tournament in France; however, it was expected that his deal would be extended until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
However, Micale’s agent Caio Zeller has confirmed that for now there is no agreement between both parties after the EFA withdrew from the talks.
In a press release, Zeller stated: “We held a meeting immediately after we arrived in Cairo on August 12 with Mohamed Barakat, the supervisor of the Olympic team, and the president and vice president of the Football Association, Gamal Alam and Khaled El-Darindly. We agreed on the terms of the new contract.
“On August 13, the first draft of the contract was prepared and submitted to the EFA. The Association requested some amendments on August 28, and all parties agreed on the final version of the contract. I heard from the EFA that the deal was completed.
“Since then, I have been in Cairo as Micale’s agent, waiting for the EFA to sign the contract. The Association claims that it needs a letter from the minister authorizing the signing of the contract and that this letter has never arrived.
“Until now, I have not received a response from the EFA, and unfortunately, we cannot wait forever. I will leave Egypt today, Thursday, and from now on, we will listen again to any offers from abroad. We had closed our ears to foreign offers on August 12 because we agreed on Micale staying in Egypt.
“These are the facts, and it is important to say that Micale’s intention has always been to stay in Egypt and continue the project of developing the new generation of Pharaohs.
“The project included a four-year contract aiming for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The goal was to build a more qualified coaching staff and bring in high-level professionals to Egypt to develop the next generation and reach a higher level.
“I believe that if we can reach the fourth position and place six players in the first team with the resources and time available to us for the Paris Olympics, we can achieve even more with additional resources and time.”
Under Micale’s leadership, Egypt reached the semi-finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished second in the U23 AFCON and his potential departure would be a significant loss for Egyptian football.