Hossam Hassan's exit as Egypt coach on Saturday lit the fuse on a fresh controversy: did Mohamed Salah play a part in the decision? Suspicion swirled around the Pharaohs captain, fuelled by the row over his substitution against Angola, his absence from the following two matches, and ultimately the intervention of Egyptian FA president Hani Abu Rida in a bid to bridge the gap between the two men.
Ali Maher's appointment as Hassan's successor reopened the questions. Had Salah pushed the coach out? Did he complain to association officials directly, or go further and demand the sacking?
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Hassan hauled Salah off in the 60th minute against Angola in the opening round of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The decision set tongues wagging about the pair's relationship, and the captain only deepened the intrigue by leaving camp the next day. He then missed the match against South Sudan, followed by the friendly against South Africa.
According to Hassan, the substitution was purely technical. The absence against South Sudan, he insisted, came by prior agreement, with the match staged on an artificial surface and the decision taken to protect Salah's fitness.
The coach tried to douse the flames, but the speculation refused to die. Tension between the pair lingered, all while Hassan stoked another fire with his comments on Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, whom he described as having been "finished" at an earlier point in his career.
Egyptian media also reported that national team manager Ibrahim Hassan had aimed offensive words at some of the Pharaohs' players.
Abu Rida intervenes
Abu Rida's meeting with Salah in Turkey earlier this month proved the biggest development of all. The timing gave it real weight, coming just before the start of the Pharaohs' new camp.
The Egyptian FA said the meeting looked at ways to clear any obstacles facing the national team, to strengthen communication and understanding across the whole set-up, and to build the right atmosphere ahead of the upcoming fixtures.
No mention of Hassan appeared in the association's statement. Yet the meeting landed just weeks after the storm over the relationship between head coach and captain.
Reports framed the talks as an attempt to bring the Trabzonspor star and the technical staff closer together, amid claims the player was furious over his substitution against Angola and some of the coach's remarks.
Hassan had renewed his contract until 2030 last September, reward for steering the Pharaohs to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. His recent troubles, Salah among them, denied the Al Ahly and Zamalek legend the chance to enjoy that new deal.