The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has announced that Egypt’s and El-Merreikh goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary will be available for Brazil’s friendly on Monday despite the Sudanese Football Association's recent decision to suspend the player.
“El-Hadary will be available for Brazil clash if the technical staff decided to play him. The football governing body, FIFA, is the only place that can suspend the player, so our decision to call him up is correct,” the EFA revealed in a statement on their official website.
“The player is ready and fit for the game as he trains alone every day in Cairo,” added the statement.
The 38-year-old player has not joined El-Merreikh training sessions since October, claiming that he had not received his salary for months, which club officials completely deny.
The player lodged a complaint with FIFA against Merreikh asking to terminate his contract.
The Sudanese giants lodged a complaint with the local FA against El-Hadary claiming the shot-stopper had been absent from training without permission.
Although EFA offically contacted El-Hadary's club to ask for the player's services, Merriekh chairman Gamal El-Wali insisted that the player will not play the game.
“El-Hadary is a trouble-maker, and as a punishment, we will not allow him the honour of playing against Brazil,” El-Wali was quoted as saying in Sudan’s Al-Sada newspaper on 31 October.
How can EFA ask us for the service of a player who is totally uncommitted to us? We totally disapprove,” El-Wali insisted.
The Pharaohs guard, who played an instrumental role in helping Egypt win three successive African titles, has endured constant problems since leaving Egyptian champions Ahly in an acrimonious manner in 2008, before also having disputes with Egyptian clubs Ismaily and Zamalek.
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