Ahmed Hossam has made up with the media and the public, writes Inas Mazhar In the end, it wasn't hard for Ahmed Hossam to apologise. He had to if he wanted to keep his job on the Egyptian national football team. After an impressive two-goal debut with his new English club Tottenham Hotspurs following an 18-month loan from AS Roma, the 21-year-old Hossam, better known as Mido, arrived in Cairo on a three-day visit during which he met Egyptian Football Association (EFA) President Essam Abdel-Moneim and board member Ayman Younis. He came to say he was sorry. Mido is the most famous Egyptian in European football but his nose for controversy has also forced him out of several clubs. But in Cairo he was anything but hot- tempered. At a press conference held at the EFA in Cairo, Medhat Shalabi, the EFAs public relations manager who was the only EFA representative present, briefed the media on the outcome of Mido's talks with EFA officials. "Mido has proved to be a real professional player," Shalabi said. "He has apologised for his mistakes and for not playing for Egypt in the past months. He has realised his mistakes and we appreciate that. After proving his loyalty, Mido is now welcome to rejoin the national team anytime." "I came here to apologise to everyone: EFA officials, fans and the media for my mistakes in the past months," Mido said. "I admit making mistakes and I want people to understand that I am still young. I've been playing in Europe since I was 16 and have played in five top clubs in Europe. It isn't easy. In those five years, I made mistakes. At Ajax (Amsterdam) I admit I did not behave correctly but I am sure that if I was older and more experienced I wouldn't have left Ajax and would have solved any disputes with the head coach (Ronald Coeman). If I was in the same situation now, I would react differently because I have learned and have grown up." As for the national team, "I know I have let people down but I didn't mean it. I am going to make a new start and hope to make it up for my beloved fans." Mido said he believed the Pharaohs still had a chance of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. "Why not? We aren't officially out. If you remember the last World Cup qualifications, nobody expected Senegal to come from behind to qualify. We have to do our best and win all our matches in the group. Who knows, other teams might surprise us. Let's keep our fingers crossed." Mido said he would answer any call-up for the national team. "I don't care if I am a starting player or sitting on the bench. This is the head coach's decision. I will be here and it's up to him to decide where I fit. Playing or not is a decision that has never been in the hands of players and we all know that." Mido, the father of seven-month Ali, said he was glad to have moved to Tottenham despite receiving other offers from Europe. "Tottenham is a big team with a big name. I found it a good opportunity to play in the Premiership. It's very strong. But I'm sure that I will make a good career there and have a strong comeback." "I was really very impressed by the English people's reception. I couldn't believe it when I stepped onto the field and the spectators were chanting 'Mido Mido'. After almost two weeks with Tottenham I can tell you I'm glad I'm with them." The EFA will soon take a decision on whether to lift Mido's suspension from playing for Egypt. Thus, his chances of playing against Libya next month in a qualifying match for the World Cup are up in the air. "We have accepted his apology. Actually we respect him. He has apologised to us and to the public for whom he owes much. But we will leave it in the hands of head coach Hassan Shehata and assistant Shawki Ghareeb to decide," Abdel-Moneim said. "Mido has become more mature and I am sure he has learned from his mistakes. He is a real professional player," Abdel-Moneim added, explaining that the EFA will monitor Mido's performance in England because he has to prove that he is playing well enough to be selected. Shehata said that he was glad Mido had taken such a step and that he might play in the Libya match. "We are entering a serious period. We are not promising that we will qualify for 2006 but we will do our best. We are building a new team and I guess that from our previous performances, we have gained the support of the public and this is the most important challenge we are facing." In two friendlies this month, Egypt beat South Korea 1-0 in Seoul and thrashed Belgium 4-0 in Cairo. "We have informed the EFA that we need Mido in the future and they were kind enough to consider lifting the suspension if he apologises," Shehata said. "He did, so I think there will be no problem. He made a good start with his new club and we will be watching him in the coming month and then we will decide." Essam El-Hadari, Tamer Abdel-Hamid and Hossam Hassan are also banned indefinitely from playing for various levels of dissent. "But Mido was the only one who made a move to apologise," Abdel-Moneim said. "He proved to be serious and to care about his position on the national team. The others didn't and we won't call them up. As a matter of fact, we don't care. But if they are willing to apologise, they have to follow in Mido's footsteps. Then we'll see."
