Salah set for Olympic duty: Egypt coach
Egypt coach Shawky Gharib told AFP on Thursday (March 25) that Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah was ready to add significant weight behind the country’s quest for a first ever Olympic football medal in Tokyo.
“I have made it public that I’d like to have him on board in our Olympic campaign and he hasn’t refused, which means he also wants to play with us,” said Gharib, the celebrated former Egyptian player-turned-manager.
“Salah’s participation in the Olympics is endorsed by the state, represented by the Sports Ministry and the Egyptian Football Association, in our concerted effort to garner an Olympic medal in football for the first time,” he added.
He said the “three-way” decision will be up to Salah, Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp and Gharib himself.
Despite Liverpool’s stuttering title defence, Salah is still this season’s joint English Premier League top-scorer alongside Harry Kane on 17, with a tally of 25 goals in all competitions.
But his participation in the July 23-Aug 8 Olympics would raise a huge question mark over his availability for the start of the new EPL season, which kicks off on Aug 14.
“Salah, as one of the three best players internationally, will lift the Pharoahs to a whole new level in the Olympics,” Gharib said.
“His presence with us will make a huge difference,” he added, likening Salah to Neymar who helped Brazil clinch their first football gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016. – AFP
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