Cape Town - Bidvest
Wits striker Amr Gamal faces the possibility of missing out on playing
at the 2018 Soccer World Cup this year, says Clever Boys coach Gavin Hunt.
Hunt has not been happy with Gamal's attitude and the Egypt international was left out of the squad when Wits beat Pamplemousses in a first leg CAF Champions League preliminary round match on Saturday night in Johannesburg.
Asked about Gamal's absence, Hunt admitted he's not been happy with the former Al Ahly striker's input since he failed to secure a move away from the team last month.
"I have had a chat with him. He wanted to move during the window (last month) because he felt he just wasn't fitting in," he was quoted saying by The Star.
"I said okay, and the club agreed, but nothing came about. Once the window closed, I told him that he now needs to knuckle down, shape up and try get back into the team.
"I said he is good enough, that's why we signed him. But the mentality shift and everything else is different here. It takes time. I think he has given up too early. If he shows me and his team-mates that he wants to play, he can get back in."
Looking to try and reignite Gamal's drive and ambition, Hunt reminded him with the 2018 World Cup only five months away, he needs to be playing regularly.
"I said to him 'you are not spiting anybody' well, he is spiting two people, me and him, but him more because he's got a World Cup to go to.
"If I am Hector Cuper (Egypt coach) I won't pick him because he is not playing, he is not making his team.
"We are training 45 minutes a day here and it is not good enough. He's got four months left, and with all the games coming we can use him, of course we can, he is a good player. But good players we need the mentality to be right."