November 5
"He possesses the personal and technical attributes to take on the task."
Mohsen Saleh, former head of the Planning Committee at Al Ahly, has called for Mohamed Salah—the star currently playing for Turkish club Trabzonspor—to lead the Egyptian national team during its next three matches.
FIFA, the world governing body for football, has imposed a three-match suspension on both Egypt’s head coach, Hossam Hassan, and the team’s director, Ibrahim Hassan, following the incidents that occurred during the match between the Pharaohs and Argentina at the World Cup.
Hossam Hassan and Ibrahim Hassan will miss the Egyptian national team’s matches against Malawi—scheduled for November 13 and 17 as part of the third and fourth rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers—as well as the match against Angola in March 2027.
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Mohsen Saleh asked: "Who will lead the national team now that the coaching staff has been handed a three-match suspension?"
He continued: "FIFA regulations prohibit a suspended individual from entering the dressing rooms or the players' tunnel before or during a match.
They are also barred from being on the substitutes' bench or in the technical area, and are forbidden from having direct contact with the players—whether by approaching them or speaking to them—on the pitch."
The former Pharaohs coach added: "Mohamed Salah could serve as interim manager for the Egyptian national team. Given the limited time, he is the most suitable person to lead the side through these next three matches; he possesses the necessary qualities."
He concluded: "There are precedents for stars who combined playing with managerial duties—such as Dalglish (Liverpool), Gullit and Vialli (Chelsea), Giggs (Manchester United), and George Weah (Liberia)."
