Ali Maher began his mission at the helm of the Egypt national team's technical staff with a clear message about the nature of the upcoming phase, stressing that the shortage of time will not prevent him from trying to bring about a change in the way of working, and that his confidence in the players' abilities represents the starting point for implementing his vision.
Unveiled at Wednesday's press conference, the Egyptian coach called taking charge of the national team an important milestone in his career, adding that leading the national side is an ambition every coach pursues. He also thanked President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for his support of Egyptian football and of the national coach.
"We will not start from scratch"
Maher made a point of acknowledging the previous technical staff led by Hossam Hassan, praising the work they did during their time in charge. The new staff, he explained, will not start from scratch but will build on what has already been achieved while introducing different ideas and methods in the coming period.
The circumstances were far from easy. Maher pointed out that he had only five days before the first match. Short as the preparation period is, he expressed confidence in the squad's ability to absorb his instructions and apply them on the pitch, relying on their quality and describing his players as the best on the African continent.
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Club football and international football are different beasts, Maher argued. A coach at a club gets a daily chance to train, correct mistakes and drill his ideas into the players. National teams impose different circumstances through short and spaced-out gatherings, which makes the details more complex and demands constant communication.
He stressed that the technical staff will keep the channels open with the players, so they can grasp exactly what is asked of them in the limited time available. For Maher, simplifying instructions and conveying ideas clearly is a necessity when dealing with the nature of the international task.
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How does he see Mohamed Salah?
On Mohamed Salah, he called the national team captain one of the greatest gains Egyptian football has ever known. "Salah is the best thing that has happened to Egyptian football," he said, stressing that his presence is huge value for the team. Every player, he added, wants to leave a mark in the national shirt, and he backed them to bring joy to the Egyptian public. Looking ahead, Maher stressed that each stage has its own requirements, and that dealing with the current squad means making the most of the available players to hit the required objectives first.
Exceptional players, he pointed out, do not come along often in Egyptian football, but over long intervals. That calls for making good use of the talents currently available rather than rushing into sweeping changes. Lowering the national team's average age will come at a later stage, he explained, after the current objectives are met and the existing group is put to use, though he set no date or mechanism for the approach.
Maher took the job just five days before his first match in charge. He prepares to face Malawi twice in the qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, next Friday and Tuesday.
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journalism and writing are a passion before they are a profession. Since taking my first steps down this path in late 2010, I have been weaving my stories across the pages of Egyptian and Arab websites. I don’t view sports in general—and soccer in particular—as merely a game, but rather as a canvas of life that reflects the pulse of societies and carries within it social and cultural stories that intertwine with the threads of politics to shape people’s consciousness.
I delve into covering and analyzing soccer from multiple angles: I cover the game from multiple angles where storytelling meets analysis, and where the pitch connects to broader social and cultural narratives.
Over time and as my experience grew, my passion expanded to draw connections between the economics of the game, modern technology, and cryptocurrencies—all of which have become part of a soccer industry that extends far beyond the boundaries of the field.
My experience has spanned several prominent Arab outlets: in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, such as Goal (Saudi edition) and Koora, where I have worked as a multi-tasking desk editor since 2019."I don't just cover stories, I find them where others aren't looking, then reshape them until they're worth reading.
with analytical depth and a human touch to deliver an unforgettable story to the reader.
My Story with Soccer
My passion for soccer began early, specifically at the age of six during the 1994 World Cup. The atmosphere at home was different; the whole family was awake to watch the matches even though they were broadcast at dawn, and that is where my true passion was born. I was captivated by Romário’s mesmerizing skills, amazed by Thomas Brulin, and impressed by the physical and technical prowess of the Nigerian national team led by the late Rashidi Yakini, while the image of Roberto Baggio missing his penalty kick in the final remains etched in my memory as the first dramatic moment I experienced with the game.
As the years passed and my fascination with international soccer grew, certain matches remained defining moments in my football education, such as the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Spain’s Alavés—that wild 5-4 clash whose intensity didn’t subside until the 117th minute, when an own goal sealed the title for the Reds, cementing it in my memory as an unforgettable match.
My Best Soccer Memories
Unforgettable moments include Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League victory, Liverpool’s historic 2005 final, and Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 African Cup of Nations triumphs under Hassan Shehata.
My All-Time Team
Buffon
Cafu - Paolo Maldini - Ramos - Roberto Carlos
Zinedine Zidane - Iniesta
Diego Maradona
Lionel Messi - Ronaldo “The Phenomenon” - Cristiano Ronaldo
My Favorite Articles:
The Ronaldo Mystery... Death in a Foreign Land!
Third dimension.. Barefoot... Has Messi Really Settled
The Debate Over the Greatest of All Time?
(2) Messi Chases Pelé... Has the Debate Over the Greatest of All Time Really Been Settled?
Third dimension: The Terrifying Test... Salah Inherits the Crown of the Seven Years
The Fortune of Cryptocurrencies... Messi Alone Among America’s Stars
The Champions’ Disaster and Barcelona’s Betrayal... How Will
Blockchain Technology Solve the Great Crisis?
The story of crypto levers... Is
Laporta gambling with Barcelona’s future?
Liverpool’s secret and the Bundesliga’s passion... Technological innovation revitalizes the future of soccer!
Chaos in the land of samba... Will Ancelotti escape the vortex of pressure?
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