"The Egypt team does not just mean Mido," Gharib told a news conference after Tuesday's 2-1 win over Senegal. "Mido is just one player in a squad of 23."

"Now we have to concentrate on the final and forget our problems. The important thing is what we are going to do in the final," he said.

Gharib, who stands in for coach Hassan Shehata in press conferences, insisted that substitutions were the sole responsibility of the technical staff, directing the attention to Amr Zaki who scored the winner for Egypt.

"Each player is treated the same in the squad and if we wish to make a change it can be anyone we choose it to be. It is not their choice, it is for the benefit of the team.

"Besides Amr Zaki is a terrific player as he showed when he scored just after coming on," Gharib added.

Substitute Zaki handed Egypt the win when he scored on his first touch of the ball only three minutes after coming in for the outraged Mido.

Mido indulged in a spat Shehata for substituting him in the 78th minute of Egypt's 2-1 win over Senegal in the tournament semi-finals.

Team captain Hossam Hassan had to separate Shehata and Mido amid jeers from the 80,000 strong Egyptian crowd calling on the Tottenham striker to "go out"!

PUNISHMENT AWAITS MIDO

Egyptian Football Association president (EFA) Samir Zaher vowed to punish Mido should an inquiry proves he was guilty in the verbal spat with Shehata.

Zaher told reporters in the main tribune of the Cairo International Stadium after the game that he will hold a meeting with Shehata and the player himself and pledged to launch an inquiry as soon as possible.

"If he is found guilty and that his behavior has no acceptable explanation, Mido will be subject to a tough punishment that will be an example for anybody who thinks of similar behavior in future," Zaher said.

However, Zaher said the case should be handled rationally to avoid a negative effect on the team before the final match.

"We should take enough time to consider the situation and I promise that our decision will satisfy the fans and the media."

Meanwhile, Egyptian Higher Council of Sports (HCS) president Hassan Saqr refused to interfere in the case, voicing his full confidence in the EFA inquiry.

"The FA are qualified to investigate the incident and take the right decision which I am sure it will be fair enough," Saqr said.

NO REGRETS FOR MIDO

Mido himself refused to acknowledge his mistake in a phone interview with Egyptian TV Show "Al-Bayt Baytak" (Make Yourself At Home) after the match.

The 22-year-old striker told former Egypt captain Mostafa Abdou, who hosts the sports segments on the program, that he had no regrets and that he "did nothing wrong".

"I was angry because I was being substituted even though I felt I could have kept on playing," the former Ajax and Roma forward explained.

Abdou asked Mido if he would have reacted in the same way if it was Tottenham manager Martin Jol who substituted him, only for the player to reply that the Spurs boss never does!

The Egypt international concluded by saying: "I did nothing wrong!"

Mido picked up a groin injury in Egypt's last Group A win against Ivory Coast over a week ago which ruled him out of the DR Congo match in the quarter-finals.

Egypt will face Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations final at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday.