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'I shall continue' Egypt's celebrated Hassan in search of more glory
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- With 78 goals in 148 internationals, Hossam Hassan is one of the world's most prolific goal scorers, second in international appearances only to Germany's Lothar Matthaeus. But Hassan is also 34, an age when most soccer players begin to seriously consider hanging up their boots and looking forward to spending more time with their families. Hassan, however, is entertaining no such thoughts. In fact, he refuses to be drawn into discussing retirement and prefers to speak instead of how close he has come to tie and perhaps beat Matthaeus' 150-cap record. "It is determination and ambition that keeps me going at this level," he said in an interview with the Associated Press. "I assess myself from day to day, and as long as I am out there making a difference and scoring goals, I shall continue." Hassan's goal-scoring touch has been tested time and again. It is a talent that made coaches select him consistently for the national side since he first wore an Egypt jersey 15 years ago. His virtually permanent place in the Egyptian squad since 1985 has raised questions about the ability of the soccer-crazy Arab nation to produce another striker with similar abilities. "Year after year, I am still voted as one of Africa's top 10 players," he declared. "If they had found a better striker they would have fielded him in my place. "It is not my fault that I work hard and I am successful. God has given me talent and the country is making maximum use of this talent," he said. Hassan returned to training this week after a left foot injury laid him off for six weeks. It is the kind of injury that haunts a player like him who knows that his playing years are numbered. "I am losing sleep over this injury," said Hassan with a grimace. "Every game I miss matters, but I always return to form very quickly." Hassan needs to regain fitness soon to take part in Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign that resumes next year in Africa's Group C. The group also includes North African powerhouses Algeria and Morocco, together with Senegal and Namibia. Egypt, which has won the African Nations' Cup a record four times but only qualified for the World Cup finals twice - 1934 and 1990, has so far played a single Group C match: an away 0-0 draw with Senegal that was taken as a disastrous start to the campaign by sports critics at home. Meanwhile, Hassan has been working out, and it shows. With his head shaved bald and a black leather jacket on top of a matching black sweater and gray trousers, Hassan can pass for a boxer - not the kind that you don't want to meet in a dark alley but more like the one you don't want to be anywhere near when he is angry. On Thursday night, he spoke to reporters at a car rental office decorated with plastic flowers and cheap souvenirs. The office, in the upscale Cairo suburb of Heliopolis, has a red sign in English that reads "Twinmotors," suggesting joint ownership with twin brother Ibrahim, a defender who has played behind Hassan for most of their career. The abundance of things red at the office is a reminder of the twins' years in Cairo's Al-Ahli club, possibly Africa's richest soccer club, whose red jerseys earned it the nickname "Red Devils." Al-Ahli sent shock waves through Egypt when it cut Hassan and his brother at the end of last season, interrupting their 21-year involvement with a club that they had done so much for. Al-Ahli, which won its seventh consecutive league title this year, never officially gave a reason for taking them off the roster, but leaks published in local newspapers spoke of the club having had enough of the pair, who have over the years earned notoriety for their hot temper. The twins, who played club football in Greece and Switzerland in the early 1990s, responded to Al-Ahli by doing the unthinkable: a Louis Figo. Their move to cross-town archrival Zamalek for 1 million Egyptian pounds (US$263,157) - an Egyptian record for a transfer fee - made headlines for days in late summer and enraged Al-Ahli fans who shower the pair with insults at every appearance. "We didn't do anything wrong. I and Ibrahim just want to play football. It is just what we do and Al-Ahli did not want us to do this anymore," said Hassan.
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