Egypt have been told they cannot rely on Mohamed Salah to guide the Pharaohs to the knockout stages of the World Cup. That is the message from the side鈥檚 coach Hector Cuper, who revealed he was optimistic the side鈥檚 star will play a part in Russia.
Since he injured his shoulder during Liverpool鈥檚 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final, all the talk has centered on whether Salah would be fit enough to play in Egypt鈥檚 first World Cup since 1990. But for Cuper such talk gets in the way of the real issue; that the side should not depend on Salah for 鈥╣lory, regardless of the 25-year-old鈥檚 fitness.
鈥淲e hope we won鈥檛 be affected, we try to be the same team, we can鈥檛 be dependent on one player,鈥� Cuper said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 important but if he鈥檚 not fit in time we will be ready with another player.
鈥淭his is football, these things can happen to any player. We could need to substitute him, but we hope that won鈥檛 be the case.鈥�
Salah was included in Egypt鈥檚 final 23-man squad, with the team鈥檚 medical staff suggesting it will be touch and go for the player to be ready in time for their Group A game against Uruguay in Ekaterinburg on June 15.
鈥淪alah is in a stage of recovery not just for treatment on his shoulder,鈥� Cuper added. 鈥淲e need to improve his demeanour and his fitness level because the injury has prevented him from training as a normal player.
鈥淏ut we have very good news from our doctor, we hope he will be with us before Uruguay. We are optimists and we are waiting for him.鈥�
The idea of not being dependant on one player, especially one who is a big fitness doubt, is obviously no bad idea. However, stats illustrate that when it comes to Egypt and Salah, that may be much harder to put in to practice than say.
During qualification the national hero had a hand in all seven of the Pharaohs鈥� goals 鈥� scoring five and setting up the other two. In Egypt the hero worship stems as much from his international displays 鈥� 鈥╡specially his crucial brace against the Congo which secured qualification to Russia 鈥� as from his 鈥╯ensational performances for 鈥↙iverpool last season.
Salah, who netted 44 goals in an incredible first season for the Reds after joining from AS Roma, was voted Player of the Year by the Football Writers鈥� Association last month, becoming the first African to win the prestigious award. That gong came on the back of a host of other awards, including the PFA Player of the Year and African Player of the Year.