Cairo - Europe and the Arabs
Enough was enough after everyone remained silent during the three matches played by the Egyptian national football team in the first stage of the African Nations Championship, which witnessed a lackluster performance and poor results that do not befit the team that has won the highest number of times in the championship cup. Everyone hoped that the disaster of the three draws would end and a return to victory against Congo and correcting the mistakes, but the farce continued, and then enough was enough, and the Egyptian football stars agreed on the necessity of the departure of the national team’s technical director, Roy Vitoria, as well as the end of the work of the current Football Association, which contracted with Vitoria and his assistants, especially after the humiliating exit of Egyptian football from the African Nations Championship, and the system as a whole must be reconsidered. Benefiting from the experiences of other countries, including Senegal, and focusing on a new generation capable of continuing for years to come while keeping the team fresh with new elements.
Ismail Youssef, the former Zamalek star, expressed his sadness after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties and bidding farewell to the 2023 African Cup of Nations.
Ismail Youssef said in television statements: “The Egyptian national team’s squad includes a good group of players, but it is not clear at the collective level.”
He continued: “The Egyptian national team did not appear as expected, and Vitoria was not convincing at the technical level during the 4 matches of the tournament and could have made the best use of the elements.”
He added: "We could have scored a goal or two in the first half. Vitoria is very late in making changes. He is far from African football and his personality on the field is not good."
He continued: "The administrative performance does not befit the name of Egypt."
For his part, Mahmoud Abu Al-Dahab, the former Al-Ahly star, criticized the current generation of the Egyptian national team after the humiliating exit in the African Cup of Nations, which is currently being held in Côte d’Ivoire.
Mahmoud Abu Al-Dahab said in television statements: “From my point of view, the current generation is the worst in the history of Egyptian football and must be dismissed during the coming period after the miserable failure in the African Cup of Nations.”
He continued: “The Portuguese Rui Vitoria failed in all the real tests that the Egyptian national team underwent in the African Cup of Nations tournament.”
Wael Gomaa, the former Egyptian national team player, commented on the performance of Portuguese Rui Vitoria, which he performed during the 2023 African Cup of Nations matches. Wael Gomaa said in television statements: “What are you waiting for after this exit?” First, we want a president of a football federation worthy of the football system in Egypt, who has a clear vision. People have lost confidence in the current Football Association and lost confidence in dealing with it. He did not offer anything or help in anything. The only issue was choosing the coach and he did not succeed in that. I believe that the entire federation must change.” He added: “The Football Association brought in a coach who receives $200,000, the equivalent of 13 million pounds per month, for this performance?!” No, I am giving responsibility to someone like Mohamed Shawky or Sayed Moawad, and they will perform better than that, through their knowledge of African football, or Mahmoud Fathallah, who played for the Egyptian national team.”
He continued: "If you are talking about a national coach, Hossam Hassan is a big name and is present. There are many people who played for the Egyptian national team. As long as the performance or results do not make any difference to you, these people will be more useful and financially saving."
He stressed: “The Football Association must leave, and people must come with a vision and good handling of football matters in Egypt.”
He continued: "A large percentage of these players have finished. We must rely on the Olympic team. We have good players in the Olympic team. They must be prepared for the World Cup."
Journalist Ahmed Hossam Mido criticized the Egyptian Football Association. Mido said in television statements: “The president of the Football Association must be a strong man with great experience.” He continued: “The president of the Egyptian Football Association must be a strong man and have a say within the African and international federations, even if something happened to us.” It happened in Morocco and the coach would have been suspended for 8 matches. He continued: “Football in Egypt needs a project to develop players and Egyptian football. If the mistakes that Vitoria made were committed by an Egyptian coach, he would have left the leadership a long time ago.”
Walid Abdel Latif, the former Zamalek star, said that Roy Vitoria, the coach of the Egyptian national team, is one of the weakest coaches who took charge of the Pharaohs, and he had never coached the national teams at all, but the shame is on whoever chose him and left him to work all this period without accountability, as he did not provide anything.
 
He said in television statements: “I do not think that Rui Vitoria will leave coaching the Egyptian national team. If the decision was up to me, he must leave immediately. I basically did not believe that we had reached the round of 16. We did not achieve any gain. I never imagined that we would reach this point.”
He added: "There are clear mistakes in the technical management. He is weak in character and unable to manage matches at all. We should have chosen a strong coach who has previously coached national teams."
He continued: “In the past, we relied on the Olympic team players in the first team. Vitoria never included any young players, and never contributed to the development of a young player or the emergence of new elements.” He added: “It is necessary to hire a great coach who has great experience within the team.” Africa