CAIRO: Abdel-Zaher Al-Saqqa admitted being upset that Egypt technical staff kept ignoring him, despite the “good performances he put in of late .
The Eskisehirspor defender was named in Egypt s provisional squad for the exhibition match against Oman on May 30, but was omitted from the final list for no apparent reason.
Al-Saqqa hasn t been given another chance to return to the Pharaohs fold ever since, and he eventually voiced his disgruntlement.
I don t know what to do to feature again for the national team. I play regularly for a high-profile Turkish Super League club, and that should count for something, the veteran told FilGoal.com.
I receive praise after each game, and the Turkish media and fans are impressed with my form, but for some reason I don t receive a call-up to Egypt s squad.
Don t Turkish people have a good grasp of football?
Al-Saqqa, whose last competitive participation with his country was in the 2006 African Cup of Nations, underlined the morale-boosting statements of Turkey s Umit Karan, who hailed the former Egypt man as a “great player .
Once Karan sealed a move to Eskisehirspor from Galatasaray, he said he would miss a lot of stars at his previous club, but assured he would be honored to play alongside Al-Saqqa.
These statements really lifted my spirits, I don t get half this kind of appreciation in Egypt, the 34-year-old added.
The coaching staff don t get to watch the Turkish league s matches, so they won t be able to assess me, which is not fair I would say.
(Diyarbakirspor midfielder) Ayman Abdel-Aziz has also been producing incredible displays for many years, but he s left out of the national side for the same reason.
That s why I think the only way to get back on the international stage is to join an Egyptian Premier League club.
Several foreign-based players opted to return to Egypt this season in order to be called up to the national team, such as Ahmed “Mido Hossam, Sherif Ekrami and Ahmed Abou-Mosallam.
