Al-Ahly criticizes Hossam Hassan’s statements about El-Shenawy and describes them as “irresponsible”

Al-Ahly Club issued, through its accounts on social media platforms, on Friday, a statement in which it described the statements of Hossam Hassan, coach of the Egyptian national team, as “irresponsible,” indicating that it “does not accept infringement on the rights of its players.”

In a press conference prior to the “Pharaohs” match with Angola, Hossam Hassan was asked why goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was excluded from the team’s current camp.

The 60-year-old coach explained that the reason for the exclusion was due to a technical choice, saying: “El-Shenawy was finished at some point. He did not participate with his club, and through the national team he regained his level.”

He added: "All respect to all the players, and El-Shenawy is one of the team's captains, and the old players. I respect all the players, and I also respect my choices."

Hossam Hassan’s statement sparked controversy, while the President of the Egyptian Football Association, Hani Abu Raida, expressed his support for Mohamed El-Shenawy, telling reporters: “He is one of the loyal sons of Egyptian football, and he has presented and continues to present a career rich in giving and achievements with the Egyptian national team and Al-Ahly club. El-Shenawy’s history and status as a player and leader is greatly appreciated and respected by the Egyptian Federation, and we are proud of everything he offers to Egyptian football.”

The “Red Giant” team’s statement stated the following: “In order to uphold the interest of the national team, as is the Al-Ahly club’s custom in all situations, which at many times required us to compete in major tournaments, most notably the Club World Cup, without our international players, the club chose to remain silent regarding the irresponsible statements of the national team’s technical director until he finished our match with Angola, out of concern for the public interest, with which the national team’s coach ignored the wall and transgressed unacceptably, in both form and substance, against anyone. "Our players."

The statement continued: “Any player represents the club, and harming his artistic and literary value is not permitted, let alone the captain of Al-Ahly and the Egyptian national team, Mohamed El-Shenawy.”

He continued: “The technical director’s talk about his inclusion of our player Emam Ashour, before the Cup of Nations, to prepare him, is something that embodies a lack of knowledge of the limits of responsibility, and the opposite of what is happening in the whole world. Our club always prepares its players for the national teams and is proud to be their biggest supporter. The technical director has the right to include or exclude any player, but he does not have the right to insult such statements that destroy the relationship of mutual respect between the elements of the football system.”

The statement continued: “Regarding the opinion of the national team’s technical director that the Egyptian clubs do not offer football, this is an underestimation of the football clubs and competitions organized by the Egyptian Federation and the Professional Clubs Association, but he was obligated not to address the Al-Ahly team within his limited vision.”

The statement concluded: “The club expresses its strong dissatisfaction with these statements, and did not neglect to appreciate what was said by the President of the Egyptian Federation regarding the value of El-Shenawy, and awaits the position of the Football Association regarding these transgressions that should not be issued by the national team’s technical director.”