ALEXANDRIA: Ittihad Alexandria midfielder Hesham Hanafi accused members in his side’s technical staff of accepting money from players to select them in the starting line-up.
“Who pays more, gets a starting place. It’s as simple as this, Hanafi told FilGoal.com in an exclusive interview on Monday.
“It is neither the performance nor the shape of the player that determines his playing time.
Hanafi, though, declined to name those members.
“This is the main reason behind the disaster. The board of directors should take an immediate action about this, he said.
Ittihad are at the basement of the table on seven points from 12 games. They next play Suez Cement, who are second from bottom with two more points.
A club source told FilGoal.com on condition of anonymity last week that manager Mohamed Salah will be sacked if Ittihad failed to beat the Suez side.
Hanafi said that there are players who always play in spite of not training with the team. Striker Mohamed Al-Yamani echoed the same claims.
Midfielder Mahmoud Sobhi, defender Ahmed Saleh and captain Youssef Hamdi were among players who don’t train regularly, according to Hanafi.
“I am revealing this for the sake of the faithful supporters, who suffer because of what happens inside the team, Hanafi said.
“This has nothing to do with me not playing because I have already decided to leave in January.
“Even if I didn’t find a suitable offer, retirement will be my decision. There isn’t much left in my career, the 34-year-old added.
Hanafi came off the bench against Ismaili and Aluminum and managed to assist four goals in both games.
He also excelled in the friendly games prior to Al Ahly game last week and was promised a starting place but was eventually dropped out of the squad.”They told me I was out of the game because I am a former Ahly player, he said.
“This was a silly reason because the club now have to sign another manager to coach the team against Zamalek [where current manager Mohamed Salah used to play].
