After Hossam Hassan's dismissal: Ali Maher's vision opens the door to glory for Hamza Abdel Karim
A press report has discussed the situation of Barcelona's striker, Hamza Abdelkarim, with the Egypt national team, following the dismissal of the previous technical staff led by Hossam Hassan.
The Egyptian Football Association sacked Hossam Hassan as head coach of the senior national team last Saturday evening, turning to a local replacement in Ali Maher, who had been in charge of Ceramica Cleopatra.
According to "Mundo Deportivo", striker Hamza Abdelkarim (18) wants to prove himself with Egypt during this international break after limited minutes with Barcelona at the start of the season.
The teenager made the squad for two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi on 13 and 17 November.
Hamza scored his first senior Egypt goal in the emphatic 5-0 win over South Sudan during the last international break, and he also featured against Angola (0-0) and South Africa (0-1). The landscape has shifted since. Hossam Hassan went before the November internationals began, and Ali Maher took charge of the Pharaohs.
That change costs Hamza one of his biggest backers. Hossam Hassan leaned on him before his breakthrough in Barcelona's first team and handed him a World Cup call-up last summer. Yet the shake-up could also hand the striker a bigger role with his country.
He is the only out-and-out striker in the squad, and Ali Maher built his Cleopatra sides around a traditional number nine. That suits the Barcelona player perfectly.
Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush and Mahmoud Mamdouh make up the rest of the attack, but all three are better suited to the wings.
Egypt see Hamza Abdelkarim as the country's great hope for the future. Barcelona, meanwhile, will track his every move over this international break, weighing up whether he has earned more chances in the first team.
The Egypt national team squad for the two matches against Malawi was as follows:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mahdy Soliman (Zamalek), Mostafa Shobier (Al Ahly), Mohamed Alaa (Ceramica Cleopatra).
Defence: Mahmoud Hamdy "El Wensh" (Zamalek), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Ludogorets of Bulgaria), Rami Rabia (Al Ain of the UAE), Mohamed Abdelmonem (Nice of France), Mahmoud Marei (Pyramids), Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Karim Hafez (Pyramids), Ahmed Fattouh (Zamalek), Tarek Alaa (Zed).
Midfield: Marwan Attia (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Mahmoud Saber (Pyramids), Mohamed Shehata (Zamalek), Nasser Maher (Pyramids), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland of Denmark), Mahmoud Hassan "Trezeguet" (Al Riyadh of Saudi Arabia), Ahmed Sayed "Zizo" (Al Ahly), Haitham Hassan (Celtic of Scotland).
Attack: Mohamed Salah (Trabzonspor of Turkey), Omar Marmoush (Tottenham of England), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona of Spain), Mahmoud Mamdouh (Modern Sport).
Egypt opened their camp on 9 November at the National Teams Centre, preparing for two matches in which the Pharaohs hope to tighten their grip at the top of Group Two and edge another step closer to the continental finals.
