While he stressed the need for Egypt to play with ferocious attacking and defensive intent, Maher was equally keen to pay tribute to the coaches of the Egyptian league. The stance stood in complete contrast to Hossam Hassan's earlier remarks, which had sparked widespread controversy over the level of the domestic competition.
Egypt began life under Ali Maher with a comprehensive victory over Malawi, flooding their net with five unanswered goals in the third round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Cairo Stadium. The team made a positive impression in its first appearance under the new coach, who looked eager to showcase his tactical ideas quickly.
This was no mere big result. It carried clear signs of the direction Maher wants to establish within the national team. Egyptian fans, he insisted, deserve to watch entertaining football, and the team should impose its style against opponents rather than settle for results without a convincing performance.
The attacking lion: Ali Maher's philosophy with Egypt
Maher revealed the clearest features of his philosophy. His goal, he stressed, is for the team to attack ferociously and defend with the same intensity, and he pointed out that the players applied these ideas successfully, especially in the first half, when they focused on settling the contest early.
Egypt, he added, possess a group of players with distinctive abilities, which makes them capable of producing strong football against any opponent. He likened the side to a lion, a nod to his desire to build a team with personality, boldness and the ability to impose control rather than wait for the opponent's reaction.
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His remarks did not stop at the attacking side. Maher also revealed some of the tactical detail behind the win, explaining that bringing on Marwan Attia in the second half was aimed at regaining possession during the spells when Malawi had the ball, while continuing to seek numerical superiority in the attacking areas.
Training, he pointed out, had focused on pressing, attacking and defending ferociously, and the players' success in applying those ideas against Malawi marks an important step. He acknowledged, though, that the limited number of sessions remains one of the biggest difficulties facing national-team coaches.
A message in reverse to Hossam Hassan: league coaches are partners in success
Yet the most striking message in Maher's words was not tactical at all. It touched on his relationship with club coaches, whom he was quick to thank. "I thank all the coaches of the Egyptian league, for I am one of the products of this competition, and I know the extent of the suffering and effort they put in to produce players of high quality," he said.
Those words carry extra weight set against Hossam Hassan's earlier stance, when he criticised the level of the domestic teams. "There is no team in the Egyptian league that plays football, and Egypt's performance against Angola was far better than the performance of the teams in Egyptian league matches," Hassan said, comments that sparked controversy and opened the door to tension between the former head coach and a number of coaches in the competition.
Maher struck a very different tone. League coaches, he stressed, form an essential part of the national team's development system, and the relationship should rest on cooperation and appreciation rather than an exchange of criticism. The clubs, after all, remain the main source for discovering and preparing the players Egypt rely on in international competitions.
Appreciation was only half the message. Maher also stressed that the national team's doors are open to everyone, and that selection will not hinge on names or prior calculations but on a player's ability to deliver what is required. He cited the call-up of league top scorer Mahmoud Mamdouh, alongside Nasser Maher, as proof that domestic brilliance can be a direct route to an Egypt chance.
Mohamed Salah: the role model who deserves appreciation
Praise also went the way of Mohamed Salah, who scored twice against Malawi. The Liverpool star continually proves his great value, Maher stressed, and represents a role model for the players both on and off the pitch.
Salah deserves treatment befitting his status, the head coach said, repeating his earlier description of the captain as "the best thing that has happened to Egyptian football." It was a message that reflects his desire to create the right atmosphere for the experienced stars and to draw on their technical and moral influence inside the dressing room.
Maher also touched on Mohamed Hany's goal. The staff are working on exploiting the numerical density in front of the opponent's penalty area, he explained, and the right-back had executed these movements with Ahmed Fatouh more than once in training before translating them into a goal during the match.
Study never stops, either. The coaching staff continue to analyse matches in the domestic competitions and follow the players closely, identifying the areas that need development and forming a clear picture of the upcoming competitions. The work goes on despite the limited time available with the national team, Maher stressed.
He closed by revealing just how much the staff have been doing since he took charge. Most of the time passes inside lecture halls, which the staff leave only to sleep and pray before returning to resume the work, a nod to his desire to make use of every minute to build a team that can develop quickly.
So the start carried two clear messages from the new head coach. The first came on the pitch: a team that attacks and defends ferociously and does not fear imposing its personality. The second came off it, through an attempt to build bridges of trust with the club coaches and open the door to shining talents.
