Army should take over Egyptian football after shocking Cup of Nations defeat, former coach says

Egypt's shocking 1-0 loss to South Africa – a team that struggled through the group stages – came after a poor performance by star player Mo Salah.

"This timing needs discipline that will be found only in the army," Farouk Gaafar, who led the Pharaohs in 1996-1997, told a talk show on Sunday evening.

Asked by the show host if an army official should head the football federation, Gafaar said; "Of course", adding that the country's football administration needed "an iron fist" to be restructured.

"I haven't seen discipline like in the armed forces," said Gaafar, who once coached an Egyptian club run by the military.

Critics believe that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, himself a former army chief, has been pushing to expand the military role in Egypt since assuming power in 2014.

In May, Sisi appointed General Kamel al-Wazir as transport minister after a train crash in Cairo's main station left more than 20 dead.

A meme circulated on social media platforms showing Sisi asking al-Wizar "Do you know about football coaching?".