Egyptian Football Association head backs El-Badry against critics

The head of the normalisation committee at the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) Amr El-Ganainy has offered his full support for Egypt’s under-fire coach Hossam El-Badry after the recent poor results of the Pharaohs.

“All support for El-Badry. We will stand behind him during the coming period,” El-Ganainy told El-Hadath El-Youm TV channel early on Saturday.

Since El-Badry’s appointment as coach of the national football team in September, Egypt won two friendly matches amid preparations for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, beating Botswana 1-0 last month before claiming a late 1-0 win over Liberia on 7 November.

The coach became recently under fire after the disappointing start of the qualifying campaign; drawing in two matches against Kenya and Comoros.

“I reject the recent claims. The national team had an exceptionally difficult time recently, whether due to injuries or absentees. Things will be different in the coming matches,” said El-Ganainy.

During the two matches, Egypt’s key star Mohamed Salah was absent, so were the Pyramids players, since El-Badry refused Pyramids’ request that its players join the national team’s camp later than the scheduled date.

After the draw with Comoros, El-Badry defended himself, assuring that Egypt will be among the qualified teams for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in the end.

Egypt are now second in their Group G standings with two points, while Comoros lead the group with four points, after they defeated Togo 1-0 in the first round.

The former Ahly player and coach El-Badry is the first Egyptian manager in Egypt’s hot seat in four years following Argentinean tactician Hector Cuper (2015-2018) and Javier Aguirre (2018-2019).

Under the guidance of El-Badry, Egypt is competing in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers alongside the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Source: Ahram Online