Egypt will be second national team for Cuper to manage after Georgia; on club level he has history of leading teams to runners-up finishes.
The Egyptian FA appointed on Monday Hector Cuper as the new boss of the Egyptian football national team, a surprise choice since the Argentinean coach was never announced as a candidate for the job.
“We have reached an agreement to appoint Cuper as the national team coach,” FA spokesman Azmy Megahed said in a press conference. “Cuper will get $50,000 per month,” he added.
The FA has also appointed former Zamalek player Osama Nabih as assistant coach and Ahmed Nagi as keepers coach. Two more assistants to Cuper are yet to be installed.
“We are optimistic after the signing of Cuper,” said FA board member Mahmoud El-Shamy.
“The coach’s contract will be cancelled should he fail to guide the national team to the 2018 World Cup,” he added, without revealing the length of the contract.
Egypt last reached the World Cup in 1990. They will start the 2017 African Cup qualifiers in June then the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in October.
The Pharaohs were on the lookout for a new boss after Shawky Gharib had been sacked in November following their staggering failure to qualify for the Nations Cup for the third time in a row.