There is no doubt that the twins, Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan, rank among the most outstanding athletes Egypt has ever produced in terms of sporting excellence—both during their playing careers and in their post-retirement roles, with Hossam turning to coaching and Ibrahim to football management. Furthermore, the Egyptian national team’s coaching staff—led by the twins and supported by the technical, medical, administrative, and support personnel—stands as one of the most successful in Egypt's history. This success stems from the team's achievements under their leadership at the previous World Cup (hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico), where they reached the Round of 16—a milestone achieved for the first time in the national team's history after many long years of waiting across several generations
However, current and past events surrounding the national team suggest a lack of clear vision on the part of Hossam Hassan regarding the team's management. Certain statements he has made to the media—both during the current training camp and previously—have stirred up confusion and public controversy. Examples include his earlier remark that the team possessed only "two and a quarter" professional players—a comment that belittled Egyptian professional Mostafa Mohamed—and his claim that he had to call up and "prepare" goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy after the player was supposedly "finished," a statement hardly befitting the captain of Al Ahly and the national team. Furthermore, he consistently disparages the Egyptian League, claiming it fails to produce players qualified for the national team and asserting that *he* is the one who prepares players for the league clubs; such remarks undermine the Egyptian League—one of the strongest competitions in the Middle East, the Arab world, and Africa—and belittle the capabilities and competence of the Egyptian and foreign coaches working within it, and there are many other statements
There are two factors contributing to Hossam’s lack of clarity regarding his dealings with the media. The first is his conviction that his footballing vision is superior to that of any other coach on the scene—whether Egyptian or foreign. While a head coach certainly needs to be confident in himself, his coaching philosophy, and his management of the job, excessive confidence can cloud one's judgment. Hossam must recognize that he is part of a dynamic sports landscape—one based on mutual exchange and learning—and acknowledge the presence of many other talented professionals in the field. This overconfidence has been fueled by the remarkable achievement he helped secure alongside the coaching staff and the Football Association during the last World Cup. Yet, despite that success, an objective assessment—considering Egypt’s stature, history, and civilization—suggests that such a result should be the norm for the Egyptian national team, whether in the World Cup or any other competition; indeed, the team should aspire to reach even greater heights, given the country's greatness, authenticity, and rich heritage
The second aspect concerns the impact of pressures associated with his profession; these pressures influence his choice of wording in media statements. This issue could be addressed by delegating the task of handling most media statements to another member of the coaching staff, thereby alleviating pressure on the head coach and allowing him to focus more on the team
Hossam must address these two aspects as soon as possible in the best interest of the national team, while maintaining communication with the public to clearly explain his viewpoints and defuse any tension caused by previous statements. The national team and the coaching staff have our full support for the period ahead
