Sacked Egypt coach responds to dismissal talk with Liverpool star denial
Former Egypt boss Hossam El Badry insist rumours that he had a strained relationship with Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah are completely false and not behind his recent sacking.
El Badry, 61, had been in charge of the African nation for two years before he was removed on September 6. It was a decision that came out of the blue. The Pharaohs had just fought back to draw 1-1 with Gabon in a World Cup qualifier.
And less than 24 hours later their coach was jettisoned having been unbeaten in his 10 games in charge. Rumours began to spread that the former Egypt defender’s relationship with Salah was behind his sacking.
Where next for Raheem Sterling? Liverpool, Spurs, Barcelona…
But the man who has coached Egyptian side Al Ahly in three separate spells has issued a strong denial.
“Some information got altered, and my dismissal was strange, so people exaggerated,” he said, per The Liverpool Echo. “There were no problems between me and Mohamed Salah at all. I spoke to him not long ago. It was said that Salah was demanding some players to be called-up, and this is of course not true.
“How do they say that my relationship with Salah is bad, and he was named captain with me?”
El Badry explains why Salah made captain
Salah has taken his game to another level since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2017. The 29-year-old has bagged 130 goals from 209 appearances in all competitions.
He has been equally as ruthless for his country, notching 45 international goals from 71 outings. The former Roma ace played in El Badry’s last match in charge having missed the previous one due to Covid restrictions.
He missed many games under the Cairo-born tactician due to injury. But, backing up his previous claims, El Badry made it clear why the Reds front man had to be his skipper.
“The decision to give Salah the captain’s armband was because the captain of the national team must be present constantly on the pitch, in addition to what Mohamed Salah has achieved in terms of international stardom,” he told Abu Dhabi TV.
“When you look at the other old names in the team, they are constantly in the team. But sometimes they might not play some matches.
“With all due respect, it can’t be argued that I didn’t have control over the dressing room, because it has not happened in my entire career, and I can never allow it.”
READ MORE: Liverpool buck trend after opting out of government-led programme
The post Sacked Egypt coach responds to dismissal talk with Liverpool star denial appeared first on TEAMtalk.