Surprise behind the scenes of being informed of the decision: Hossam Hassan's first response after his dismissal
Mustafa Abu Zahra, a board member of the Egyptian Football Association, has hailed the work of Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan and his coaching staff, lifting the lid on the behind-the-scenes details of his dismissal as Pharaohs boss.
The Egyptian Football Association moved to sack Hassan on Saturday, appointing Ali Maher in his place before the start of the November camp. The decision came barely two months after they had renewed his contract until 2030.
Abu Zahra insisted the national team enjoyed happy moments under Hassan, and he praised what the coach achieved at the World Cup.
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"We are not detached from public opinion"
Abu Zahra told the Al-Hekaya programme on MBC Egypt that the federation opted to part with the coaching staff after weighing up the circumstances of recent weeks and the toll they could take on its stability. The federation, he stressed, does not turn a deaf ear to the fans or the mood on the sporting street.
He added: "We are not detached from public opinion and football fans, and after we looked, during our meeting, at the surrounding circumstances and the atmosphere that captain Hossam Hassan lived through over the past days, and the extent of their impact on the national team's atmosphere, we decided to offer him our thanks, and to appoint Ali Maher as technical director of the Egypt national team."
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Behind the scenes of the dismissal decision: Hossam's response and the penalty clause
Abu Zahra sprang a surprise over the way the former head coach learned of his dismissal. The news reached him through the national team's administrative director, with no contact from the president or any member of the Football Association board.
He explained: "Mustafa Azzam, the Secretary General of the Football Association, took on the task of contacting the national team's administrative director and informing him of the board's decision, before the latter conveyed the news to Hossam Hassan and his technical staff."
According to the board member's account, Hossam Hassan raised no objection and showed no emotional reaction on learning his time was up. He took it calmly, offering only the words: "It is God's decree and what He willed He did," before wishing the national team well for the period ahead.
On the contractual side, Abu Zahra stressed that the Association would honour nothing beyond the obligations in the coach's contract. The agreement includes a penalty clause and specific terms governing the financial dues owed on termination, and the board will handle the file exactly as agreed.
A settlement on paper is not where the Association wants the relationship to end, though. Abu Zahra revealed a plan to hold a board meeting during the coming week to discuss how best to honour the coach and his backroom staff, in recognition of their work during their time in charge.
