The new Egypt manager, Hossam Hassan, publicly criticized star player Mohamed Salah recently. According to *talkSPORT*, Hassan scored 69 goals for Egypt between 1985 and 2006, with Salah currently 15 strikes behind the legendary forward. The Portuguese tactician was unable to inspire the north African giants in the Ivory Coast after they crashed out of the competition following a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo. DR Congo will play the host nation in a semi-final match on Wednesday.
There are concerns about the Liverpool winger’s relationship with Hassan on the international stage after the 57-year-old publicly criticized the player’s decision to return to England to recover from a hamstring injury while the African giants’ tournament was still ongoing. Hassan argued that Salah’s injury did not require extensive facilities in Liverpool and suggested that big clubs always send doctors and therapists with top players to such tournaments. He expressed that Salah’s departure could negatively affect Egypt and positively impact their opponents. The iconic player provided insight into how he would have dealt with the situation, mentioning that he would have told Salah to stay at Liverpool and assured him of the capable men in the national team.