Egypt coach Hossam Hassan: Respect Messi and Argentina, but must play our own style

Hupu Football News – July 7 – In the World Cup Round of 16, Egypt faces Argentina. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan attended the pre-match press conference.

On Preparation and Recovery

Reporter: Coach, all Egyptians are praying for you and wishing you all the best. We know your ambition and the dreams of you and all the players, hoping you can achieve your goal and win the game. My question is: the short time between the two games, and yesterday's training being incomplete due to weather—has this affected the training in some way, or the technical and tactical content you want to instill in the players? How significant is the impact? Also, could you give a full update on the injured players today?

Hassan: First of all, thank you all, and welcome to the media friends. Indeed, the time between the two games is very short, and the weather, rain, and standing water led to the cancellation of training. But we know how to handle these things, thank God. During the World Cup, we've gotten used to consecutive matches and have also accustomed the players to bearing these pressures.

In terms of recovery, we've done our best, with the medical team, coaching staff, and administrative team working together. The players have taken responsibility and know that we are at a stage where everyone must endure various situations.

Of course, we have great respect for the opponent; they are a strong team. But from my perspective and in my way, we respect the opponent, but more importantly, we think about ourselves: what we want to do and what we have always been doing.

As you said, we compensated for the lack of training. Today might be the first full-team training session, lasting about 45 to 50 minutes. We also had on-field explanations, video meetings, and analysis of highlights to address the technical details we need to prepare. Thank God, we made up for it through these methods.

Actually, players need less training due to fatigue and exertion. We arranged things well over the past two days; yesterday was mainly rest, and today, as I mentioned, we trained. Although I know time is tight, and this is a big match like the World Cup Round of 16, I am satisfied with the preparation. I can assure you that the players will be ready tomorrow.

On Facing Messi and Argentina

Reporter: Now all Egyptian fans are talking about Messi: Messi, Messi, Messi. How do you view this match against Messi? It seems everyone has simplified the game to Egypt vs. Messi. Also, in the last game, we saw performance analyst Mahmoud Salim show the players a very important clip to help them prepare for penalties. How has the coaching staff helped you? How have you studied Argentina? Will there be any special arrangements to overcome this important match?

Hassan: We came to the World Cup, and now we're playing in the Round of 16. Regardless of the opponent, they are just another team in front of us. Of course, we have full respect for the Argentine national team and all its players, including a global legend like Messi.

But respecting the opponent doesn't mean thinking about them in a negative way. In football, if you always think negatively about the opponent, it's not good. We have our own style. Over the past two and a half years, I've been getting the players used to the development process we are undergoing. For us, it's important to play our own style on the field, to play our way, rather than considering what color jersey the opponent wears, what the opponent's name is, or which key players they have. Those players deserve respect, of course.

You've seen that before the World Cup, we played some friendlies, like against Brazil, Spain, or Belgium, and we weren't afraid of them. Of course, we respected them. As usual, we will move forward in the same way. We have a great goal, for the great Egyptian people, and for the entire Arab world, because we represent the Arab world and also Africa. This goal is big, so it makes us think more about ourselves and what we need to present on the field.

The players are developing, both in terms of tactics and willpower to persist toward the goal. We also haven't forgotten that this is the World Cup. The World Cup doesn't come often in a player's or coach's career, so this is a good opportunity for all Egyptian players to seize. We need to earn our rightful presence. Egyptian football, African football, and Arab football all have an important presence, but we have been late on many occasions. Now we aim to make up for it and strive to live up to the fans' expectations.

On Coaching Staff and Preparation

As for the coaching staff, the entire team is working, from the technical team to the administrative and media teams, each within their own framework. I keep in constant communication with my assistants, like coach Mahmoud Salim or the performance analyst. I outline the big picture first, then ask him to analyze the opponent through video highlights, such as set pieces and penalties. We show players the opponent's tendencies, like how the goalkeeper typically moves or how opposing players might handle situations. Everyone is fulfilling their role, all under my guidance. On the administrative side, Captain Ibrahim is also involved. No one makes decisions on their own. So I am very satisfied with the entire team.

Source: YouTube Posted in: Shanghai Read: 1,312

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