Algerian sports media is targeting former Egypt coach Hosam Hassan to take over the national team, though no official deal has been reached. This comes just days after Hassan left the Egypt national team on November 7, following a tenure of nearly two years and nine months.

Algerian sports commentator Mahmoud Shoghi stated on his Facebook page that Algerian officials have made contact with Hosam Hassan. Shoghi added that discussions are also taking place within an Algerian club regarding appointing the Egyptian coach. No official statement has been issued by the Algerian Football Federation to confirm or deny these reports.

For his part, Hosam Hassan denied receiving any invitation from the Jordanian Football Association. Hassan said: "I have not received any invitation from the Jordanian FA to discuss a possible return." Hassan previously coached the Jordan national team in 2013. Iraqi sources also denied any official contact with the Egyptian coach, confirming that Australian coach Graham Arnold remains in charge of the Iraqi team and is preparing for an upcoming friendly tournament.

The current situation of the Algerian team

The Algerian national team, under current coach Ibrahim Hamdani, is preparing to face Togo on Saturday, November 14 in World Cup qualifying. This preparation follows the Greens' recent 2-1 victory over Niger on October 6, where Mehdi Belloumi scored the equalizer in the 53rd minute before Ramy Bensebaini sealed the win with a penalty in the 73rd minute. This win is the first in the team's last match, boosting morale ahead of the key fixture.

Mohamed Khalaf, a source close to the Algerian federation, responded to the news by saying: "This information is baseless. We heard these reports from the Egyptian media, but no contact has been made from our side with Hosam Hassan or his representatives up to this moment." Hamdani continues his work with the squad in preparation for the upcoming match, details of which fans can follow on the fixtures page.

Hosam Hassan's tenure with Egypt saw the team qualify for the 2026 World Cup and reach the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. These speculations come at a critical time for the Algerian team as it seeks to bolster its qualifying chances. Preparations for the next match conclude in a matter of days.

This story first appeared at صدى البلد