The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Cuper

  • INSIDE EGYPT’S CAMP Cuper: Burkina Faso will help us get ready for Nigeria

    INSIDE EGYPT’S CAMP Cuper: Burkina Faso will help us get ready for Nigeria

    Egypt’s head coach, Hector Cuper has said that he’s happy to reunite with his players as they are getting ready to face Burkina Faso in a friendly.

    The Pharaohs manager was quoted by KingFut.com as saying the encounter against the Burkinabes next Saturday will help to prepare for the big one against Nigeria.

    Egypt are scheduled to meet the Super Eagles next month in their 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

    “I am happy to meet with the players again in order to explain my thoughts and therefore increase the harmony between them and the coaching staff,” Cuper said.

    “Burkina Faso’s game will prepare us well for the Nigeria clash in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, despite not having our players abroad, this is a good chance to test our local league’s best players.

    “The exclusion of some players from this training camp, doesn’t mean they won’t be called up for Nigeria’s clash.

    “They just have to work harder and prove their worth. Therefore new players might get called up for Nigeria’s training camp.”

    On the other hand, the Argentine mentor added that Zamalek and Al Ahly’s form is not a concern to him.

    “I’m not worried by Al Ahly and Zamalek’s inconsistent form, this is the the time for new teams and players to shine,” he said.

    “I hope we beat Nigeria or at least maintain the two-point difference between us, in order to qualify for the African Cup of Nations.”

  • CUPER TO EAGLES PLAYERS: You talk too much

    CUPER TO EAGLES PLAYERS: You talk too much

    •Urges Egyptians to ignore Nigerians’ talk
    •Says victory not guaranteed, but no meltdown assured’

    Super Eagles players and coaches, who have been promising the Pharaohs of Egypt a comprehensive beating inside the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna, have been told to keep quiet by the Egyptians’ chief coach, Hector Cuper.

    Speaking in Cairo on Sunday, when asked to comment on Nigerians’ boastful taunts to ensure that the Egyptians don’t score a goal in the first leg game in Kaduna on March 25, Cuper stated categorically that:”That happens all around the world, talk, talk and more talk. We should respect them and not let their talk effect us.”

    “We can beat Nigeria, they are a very good side but they are beatable and I can assure you all that what happened in Kumasi, Ghana, in 2013 when Egypt lost 6-1will not happen again in Kaduna.

    “Nigeria have good players, but we do too and while we have the ability to beat them there and here I can’t promise to travel there and come back with the three points. I can only promise to work hard and do our best,” he added.

    In related matters, the coach may be using a new formation for Nigeria. In all matches so far, Cuper has played offensive football and deployed a 4-2-3-1 line-up.

    Some experts are now predicting that this will change and that the North Africans will be more conservative and line up in a 4-3-2-1 with Omar Gaber, Ahmed Hegazy, Rami Rabiea, Sabry Rahel as the back four, Mohamed Elneny, Tarek Hamed, Abdullah Al Saied, Mohamed Salah and Ayman Hefny clogging the midfield and Ahmed Hassan Kouka playing as the lone striker.

    Nigeria will host Egypt on March 25 in Kaduna and then play the second game at the Bourg Al Arab in Alexandria on the  29th.

  • TRUE CONFESSION: Eagles are difficult, says Cuper

    TRUE CONFESSION: Eagles are difficult, says Cuper

    •Says Nigeria is big with tested and trusted foreign-based stars
    •Acknowledges Siasia’s tactical savvy
    •Vows to overcome Nigerians anywhere

    There is palpable fear in Egypt following the scary admission by the chief coach of the Pharaohs, Hector Cuper through one of his 11 technical assistants,  coach Osama Nabih that: “The first difficulty is that Nigeria is a big name in the African continent, despite failing to reach the last edition of the Africa Cup.”

    Nabih informed the Egyptians further in a radio programme aired in the country on Sunday that: “There are three difficulties that worry Cuper ahead of the two games. Cuper believes that Nigeria have more choices in their squad ahead of the two sides’ games in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, but he is ready to secure a place in the tournament’s finals.”

    “Nigeria is coached by Samson Siasia, who reached the Olympic Games by placing first with the U-23 team,” he added.

    “Moreover, Nigeria have 22-foreign based players alongside well prepared ones in the domestic  league. So Siasia possesses all the tools that lead to success,” the Pharaohs assistant coach said.

    “Despite the difficulty of the Nigeria game, we are working to improve our chance of qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in the coming Nigeria game,” Nabih said.

    Egypt is leading Group G with six points, two ahead of second-placed Nigeria. Only the group winners are guaranteed automatic qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

    The winners of three successive Africa Cup of Nations, in 2006, 2008 and 2010, Egypt will face Nigeria on March 25 in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers before playing the follow-up match four days later in Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

  • Cuper: Burkina Faso will help us get ready for Nigeria

    Cuper: Burkina Faso will help us get ready for Nigeria

    Egypt’s head coach, Hector Cuper has said that he’s happy to reunite with his players as they are getting ready to face Burkina Faso in a friendly.

    The Pharaohs manager was quoted by KingFut.com as saying the encounter against the Burkinabes next Saturday will help to prepare for the big one against Nigeria.

    Egypt are scheduled to meet the Super Eagles next month in their 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

    “I am happy to meet with the players again in order to explain my thoughts and therefore increase the harmony between them and the coaching staff,” Cuper said.

    “Burkina Faso’s game will prepare us well for the Nigeria clash in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, despite not having our players abroad, this is a good chance to test our local league’s best players.

    “The exclusion of some players from this training camp, doesn’t mean they won’t be called up for Nigeria’s clash.

    “They just have to work harder and prove their worth. Therefore new players might get called up for Nigeria’s training camp.”

    On the other hand, the Argentine mentor added that Zamalek and Al Ahly’s form is not a concern to him.

    “I’m not worried by Al Ahly and Zamalek’s inconsistent form, this is the the time for new teams and players to shine,” he said.

    “I hope we beat Nigeria or at least maintain the two-point difference between us, in order to qualify for the African Cup of Nations.”