Egyptian side Masry criticised the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) for its delay in appointing a new coach for the national team amid reports their coach Ehab Galal might fill the vacant seat.

The Pharaohs' hot seat has been vacant since the departure of Mexican coach Javier Aguirre last July in the aftermath of Egypt's elimination from the Round of 16 of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, held at home.

"We haven't received any formal contacts from the Egyptian federation until now. If they wanted to hire him [Galal] they should have negotiated with us. The league will start in a few days and we have already started our Confederation Cup campaign," board member Adnan Halabeya said on TV on Monday.

Amr El-Ganainy, head of the normalisation committee appointed by FIFA to run the show following the resignation of the previous board, revealed a five-man shortlist for the job that included Ehab Galal, Hossam Hassan, Ahmed Hossam "Mido", Hossam El-Badry and former Egypt iconic coach Hassan Shehata.

Galal said he was in talks with EFA officials in the past few days but nothing had yet materialised.

"We have closed this chapter due to the delay in the decision. We don't have time to find a replacement especially that the team will start its final preparation for the league that will start on Saturday then we will have a game in the Confederation Cup. Our interest is to keep Galal and he will be with us in the coming season," Halabeya added.

Masry will play Haras El-Hodoud on Sunday in the season opener before facing Malindi of Zanzibar next week.

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