Zamalek's head coach Hassan Shehata does not really wish to leave the side despite tabling his resignation last weekend, his former assistant Ismail Youssef has claimed.
The 62-year old tactician resigned as the Cairo team's coach on Saturday, complaining of "management neglect".
Shehata, who once coached the Egyptian national saide, was reportedly unsatisfied with the management's treatment of players, especially delays in their being paid.
"I delivered the team's evaluation report to club management today at the request of Shehata, who doesn't want to leave, contrary to what recent reports have claimed," Youssef was quoted as saying by the state-run MENA news agency late on Tuesday.
"Shehata's recent journey for Kuwait is for personal reasons, not to negotiate with a new club. He will return to Cairo on Friday and await the board's final decision," the assistant coach added.
The majority of Zamalek's board members accepted Shehata's resignation on Monday, but the club later reversed this decision and said a final judgement will wait until the return of chairman Mamdouh Abbas. Abbas is on record as being against the veteran coach's departure.
"Zamalek management is eager to keep Shehata especially after the success he has achieved since his appointment. We decided to postpone our decision until Saturday when all the board members will be available," Zamalek's vice president Sabri Serag said.
Shehata is the country’s most successful coach, leading the national team to three successive African Cup of Nations trophies in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
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