Egypt Olympic national team
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) are discussing making the Olympic team, under the helms of coach Hany Ramzy, play the Pharoahs’ remaining matches in the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
“The two remaining matches, against Niger and Sierra Leone, are not important so it would be good training for the Olympic team ahead of the 2012 qualifiers for the London games,” EFA president Samir Zaher told Reuters.
The champions of the three successive African Cup of Nations (2006, 2008 and 2010) will not be able to defend their title in the 2012 Gabon and Equatorial Guinea edition, as they are currently at the bottom of Group G with two points, behind South Africa (eight), Niger (six) and Sierra Leone (five) at the halfway stage.
The humble results in the continental qualifiers forced the country’s most successful coach, Hassan Shehata, to step down.
The EFA haven’t named the new coach yet but former United States manager Bob Bradley is the closest candidate so far.
“We will give the new coach enough opportunity to monitor the players during the next Egyptian Premier League,” Zaher added.
“The Olympic team will be boosted by players from the U-20 team who participated in the Colombia World Cup recently.”
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