Egypt icon Essam El-Hadary has voiced strong criticism of national team manager Hossam Hassan following controversial statements made after the Botswana game.
In his remarks after the game, Hossam Hassan suggested that Egypt is playing its best football since the era of legendary coach Mahmoud El Gohary, overlooking the historical period from 2006 to 2010 when Egypt secured three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles under Hassan Shehata.
This omission did not sit well with El-Hadary, a key figure during that golden era.
Speaking to ON Time Sports 2, El-Hadary clarified his stance, stating: “I don’t have a personal issue with Hossam Hassan, but we must accept all opinions, whether positive or negative. We are here to support the national team, not individuals.
“Coaches come and go. Hossam Hassan himself was in our position once, and he used to criticize everyone alongside his brother. We accepted it without complaint, so he should do the same now.”
The former goalkeeper, widely regarded as one of the greatest in African football, did not hold back in critiquing Egypt’s recent performances.
“We haven’t seen any real tactical improvements or strong performances. Yes, we win by two or three goals, but there’s no quality in our play,” El-Hadary added.
“Botswana is a weak team; even a second-division Egyptian team could beat them by the same margin. When you’re unlucky or your team performs poorly, just be honest and admit it.
El-Hadary also addressed Hossam Hassan’s complaints about the pitch at the 30 June Stadium, calling them inconsistent: “He said the pitch wasn’t good.
“Didn’t you know that before choosing the venue? You claimed you’d play anywhere, even at El-Mahalla Stadium, and now you blame the pitch. If the performance was bad, just say so or admit the team was relaxed because they’d already qualified.”
The 50-year-old legend took particular issue with Hossam Hassan’s claim about the current national team playing its best football since El-Gohary: “What are you saying, man?
“Have you forgotten the 2006-2010 generation under Hassan Shehata that dominated African football? Or the 2017 team under Hector Cuper? Or even the team under Carlos Queiroz in 2021? Statements like these undermine Egyptian football’s legacy and disrespect the efforts of past generations.”