Egypt have announced that Javier Aguirre is to be their new coach taking over from Hector Cuper.
The Mexican was the favorite to replace the Argentine and has signed a four-year, $1.4 million contract, taking him to the next World Cup.
Aguirre was on a shortlist of four which included Spaniard Quique Sanchez Flores, Colombian Jorge Luis Pinto, and Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic.
It is thought that his Middle Eastern experience — he was last at the helm of the UAE’s Al-Wahda — was the crucial factor in his appointment.
Flores lacked national team experience and Pinto has never coached outside South or Central America. Also in the 59-year-old’s favor was that Halilhodzic was in demand elsewhere. South Korea are interested in the coach sacked by Japan in April, as are his former team Algeria.
“Aguirre ticks all the boxes with the experience and success he has had and also the way his teams usually play football,” an official at the Egyptian Football Association told Arab News earlier this week.
After the Pharaohs’ World Cup woe — they lost all three matches in Russia — the pressure is on Aguirre to justify his big pay packet. His first task is to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and then lead the side deep into the tournament.
On top of that he will be tasked with improving the style of play. There was a lot of criticism of Cuper’s tactics, which were seen as overly cautious and defensive. As result the EFA was keen to have not only a new face but also a fresh approach.
