Cairo, 9 Feb. (AKI) - Egypt's national football coach Hassan Shehata on Tuesday ended speculation that he would consider training Israel. "I'd rather die of hunger than entertain the possibility of coaching Israel," he told the Egyptian daily al-Masry al-Youm.

Shehata nearly lost his job when Egypt failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

But the 60-year-old manager in January regained hero status among Egyptians when his side defeated Ghana to bring home the African Cup of Nations for a record third consecutive year.

"I can understand Israel's jealousy of the Egyptian team and its successes," Shehata was quoted as saying.

"But it would be impossible from my perspective to visit Israel or train its team even if Israel were the only country in the world that wanted to hire me."

"How can these Zionists think that I would take on the task of coaching a side that includes murderers of children and the elderly? How could I work to help a team that represents a nation of occupiers?"

The veteran coach, labelled by the Egyptian media as "The Teacher", now looks set to lead his side's campaign to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.