Mohsen Saleh urges Egypt to hand Mohamed Salah three-match coaching role

Mohsen Saleh, the former head of Al Ahly’s planning committee, has called for Mohamed Salah to take temporary charge of Egypt for their next three matches while head coach Hossam Hassan serves a FIFA suspension.

FIFA has suspended Hossam Hassan and Egypt team manager Ibrahim Hassan for three matches each following incidents surrounding the Pharaohs’ World Cup match against Argentina.

The brothers will therefore miss Egypt’s two Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying fixtures against Malawi, scheduled for 13 and 17 November 2026, as well as the meeting with Angola in March 2027.

Saleh, who previously coached Egypt, raised the issue in a post on his official X account.

“Who will lead the national team after the coaching staff were suspended for three matches?” he wrote.

FIFA’s regulations prevent suspended officials from entering the dressing room or players’ tunnel before or during a match. They are also barred from sitting on the bench or entering the technical area, making direct contact with players or going down to speak to them, and talking directly to players on the pitch.

Saleh then suggested Salah as a short-term solution, arguing that the limited time available made the Trabzonspor player the most suitable candidate to oversee the team.

“Salah as Egypt’s interim manager,” Saleh wrote. “Given the limited time, he is the most suitable person to lead the national team in the next three matches. Salah has the personal and technical qualities to carry out the task.”

Salah is described in the source as a star of Trabzonspor, who play Alanyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on 8 November 2026, five days before Egypt’s qualifier against Malawi on 13 November.

Saleh said there were precedents for players combining their playing careers with coaching responsibilities. He cited Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool, Ruud Gullit and Gianluca Vialli at Chelsea, Ryan Giggs at Manchester United and George Weah with Liberia.

“There are examples of stars who combined playing and leadership,” he said. “Dalglish at Liverpool, Gullit and Vialli at Chelsea, Giggs at Manchester United and George Weah with Liberia.”

The proposed arrangement would cover Egypt’s three matches affected by the FIFA suspensions: the two fixtures against Malawi in November 2026 and the subsequent game against Angola in March 2027.