Egypt coach Hassan Shehata is still failing to turn a blind eye to his critics. He believes that some people are waiting in the wings to attack him once he falls. “That feeling dominates me every time Egypt play a match,” the 59-year-old coach said in an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm. Shehata is considered as one of the finest coaches in Egypt's history. He has turned around the team's fortunes since his appointment in 2004. The former Arab Contractors coach, who previously steered four second-division sides to top-flight promotion, led the Pharaohs to back-to-back Nation Cup titles. Shehata helped Egypt clinch the 2006 Nations Cup title on home soil but his first achievement at the helm did not escape criticism. Many critics cited Egypt's home advantage as the main reason for the glorious triumph but Shehata defied them by leading the country to a record-breaking sixth Nations Cup title in 2008, this time in Ghana. With two continental titles under his belt, Shehata sees no reason why should football pundits keep pointing the finger at him for any minor stumbles. “Some people called for my resignation when Egypt suffered a 4-0 defeat to Sudan in a friendly game,” he said. “They wanted a repeat of what happened following the 1990 World Cup when Mahmoud Al-Gohari was sacked after Egypt lost to Greece in a friendly. “Those ambushers forget any achievements we might have made for the national team. They base their assessments on the results of friendly matches.”
Does Shehata get special treatment from top government officials? But past achievements shouldn't act as excuse for any failures, Al-Akhbar analyst Alaa Sadek says. “Shehata has to accept criticism,” Sadek, who was involved in a heated exchange with the former Zamalek icon during a live TV program in March, said. “We (critics) don't have any personal differences with him, we just pinpoint what is wrong with some of his decisions.” Untouchable Widespread rumors suggested on numerous occasions that Shehata was ‘untouchable' due to his strong bond with Alaa and Gamal Mubarak – the sons of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. Both men, who are interested in football, are used to watching Egypt's important home games from the stands as well as visiting the team's training camps prior to any decisive clash. Shehata admitted that he is supported by the duo, but denied that he is being favored. “I have a very good relationship with Alaa and Gamal Mubarak, but that's only because I'm the current Egypt manager,” he insisted. “The Egyptian president's sons previously supported Al-Gohari and Mohsen Saleh, they don't have preferences. “Alaa and Gamal wouldn't have obliged the Egyptian FA to keep me in charge of the national team had I failed to achieve good results.”
