This is part of an ongoing series where we take a look at five players who deserve a call up to the senior national team. In this article we take a look at five uncapped players plying their trade in foreign leagues and deserve to be called up to the senior squad.
Saado Abdel Salam
Centre Back, 24
AS Rodos (Greece)
When Saado first became known to Palestinian supporters he did not necessarily cover himself in glory. In 2018, with the U23 team he was not as convincing as his partner Michel Termanini. When the Olympic team regrouped in 2019 in an attempt to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics Abdelsalam was a lot more convincing and had the benefit of a competent goalkeeper in goal.
Since then, the Greek born defender has found some consistency at club level moving to Cypriot first division and becoming a surefire starter for Ermis. In the offseason, he moved back to Greece signing with second tier AS Rodos- since the league started he has appeared in all league games.
Is Abdel Salam the solution to all of Palestine’s ails at the centre back position? No- but he is a player that Palestine can bank on in the near future when Abdelatif Bahdari decides to retire (again).
Hamed Hamdan
Midfielder, 21
Al Jazeera Matrouh (Egypt)
Hamed Hamdan may not have received the plaudits in his time with the Olympic Team but the 21 year old is a versatile livewire. With the national team he’s used in multiple midfield roles- as a defensive pivot or further up the pitch as a number eight.
For his club team he has played as a left back and as a left winger. In spite of his tender age he has shown a toughness- to leave his home in Gaza and make a go of it in the Egyptian leagues even when he didn’t break into the first squad at Pyramids SC
Ali Abu Alfa
Winger, 22
Hertha Berlin II (Germany)
Absolutely electric. This is a player with the technical ability, speed, and end product to change a game. Had Ehab Abu Jazar started him against Turkmenistan we might have been talking about how the team qualified for the second U23 Asian Cup. The Germany born attacker is also incredibly versatile with an ability to play on either side of a 4-3-3 or even as a more centrally deployed attacker.
Yousef Emghames
Winger, 24
AK Berliner 07 (Germany)
Berlin is a great place to unearth Palestinian Talent. Last year the aforementioned Ali Abu Alfa played for Athletik Klub before moving to Hertha Berlin. Coming into replace him is former U23 international Yousef Emghames who was arguably Palestine’s best player in 2020 Olympic qualifying back in 2019. On the back of that sterling performance you would have expected Emghames to be fast tracked into the first team.
That, unfortunately, did not happen perhaps in part due to Palestine’s depth at the position.
In the interim, the former Bayern Munich player has rejuvenated his career in the German fourth division alongside Palestine Eligible Nader Jindaoui. Seven goal involvements in 14 appearances has AK Berliner 07 top of the table and promotion would mean Emghames, the aforementioned Jindaoui, and a couple of other Palestine-elgible players would get a shot at playing in the third division.
Mohammed Hbous
CAM, 21
Al-Ansar (Lebanon)
Last year, Hbous was the name on the tip of everyone’s tongues. His teammate, Lebanon Legend Hassan Maatouk to say “I wish he were Lebanese”. The 21 year old has had something of a sophomore slump but Hbous and other compatriots based in Lebanon represent a source of talent that is oft ignored.
With Lebanon considering naturalizing the player, the PFA should move quickly to cap the player.
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