Egyptian FA chief sacks coach and quits after African Nations Cup exit
The president of the Egyptian Football Association, Hany Abou Rida, resigned yesterday and "sacked" his technical team, including coach Javier Aguirre, after the hosts' shock elimination from the African Nations Cup.
The decision had been "a moral obligation" said the Egyptian FA in a statement after "disappointing Egypt's supporters" in a 1-0 round-of-16 defeat by South Africa in Cairo.
The campaign began promisingly for the Pharaohs, who won all their group matches without conceding a goal.
But an 85th-minute strike by Thembinkosi Lorch saw heavy underdogs South Africa stun the favourites and record seven-time African champions, whose line-up included Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.
Rida's three-year tenure was marred by controversy, including last year's World Cup fiasco that saw the Pharaohs fail to get out of the group stages after losing all of their matches.
The federation has also feuded with Salah, the reigning African Footballer of the Year, who has accused them of misusing his image inside the country.
Recently, the reinstatement of Amr Warda, who had been banned following sexual harassment charges, had provoked further widespread criticism of the Egyptian FA on social media.
- REUTERS
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