Javier Aguirre believes that Egypt can compete with the very best despite the national team’s dismal performance at the World Cup.
On Thursday the Mexican was announced as Hector Cuper’s successor as boss of the Pharaohs — the Argentine axed after he led Egypt to three defeats in Russia, leaving them bottom of Group A, one of the weakest groups in the tournament.
Aguirre officially started his duties on Friday as he attended his first Egyptian Premier League match in the opening round of fixtures of the new season; a 1-1 draw between Al-Ahly and Ismaili.
The former coach of Mexico, Japan and Atletico Madrid was impressed with what he saw and declared that the game in the country is in a healthy state.
“Egyptian football is one of the best, if not the best, in Africa,” Aguirre said. “The Egyptian team is capable of competing against any team.”
Egyptian football fans are still coming to terms with the poor showing at the World Cup. The Pharaohs went into the tournament on a high and fancied to make it through to the knockout stages for the first time in their history. But the media circus over Mohamed Salah’s fitness and losses to Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia condemned them to bottom place in Group A and left many thoughts as to what might have been.
It was no surprise that Cuper, appointed to take over Uzbekistan on the same day his successor was confirmed in Cairo, did not have his contract extended.
“Egypt did not show what they are capable of at the World Cup but they did not have any luck either,” said Aguirre who will receive a bonus of $500,000 if he leads Egypt to the 2022 World Cup and will also be rewarded in the event off an African Cup of Nations title next year.
With the domestic season kicking off, the new man is looking forward to seeing plenty of local talent in action over the coming weeks.
“We have a very good base founded by Hector Cuper and we will definitely choose from that base,” Aguirre said. “Now in front of me is the opportunity to see many of my players. I will also be watching many videos as I look to build my squad and this has to start now, especially as we have a game next month.”
On Sept. 7, Aguirre, who will be given an Egyptian assistant next week, gets his first taste of action with a vital African Cup of Nations qualifier against Niger. After a loss to Tunisia in the opening qualifier in June last year, there is pressure on Aguirre to start with a win.
Not only that but the new boss has been told that he will not get the one thing that most coaches dream of and deem necessary to achieve success on the international stage — more time with the players. Amer Hussein, the head of the competitions committee at the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said last week that there will be little room in the schedule of the Egyptian Premier League for friendlies or team gatherings over the next few months.
“Aguirre may request more with the squad but it is unlikely to happen,” an official at the EFA told Arab News. “The games are coming very quickly at home. He can watch many games but he will not get much time to spend with the players.”
While Cuper’s tenure may have ended on a sour note, the experienced Argentine did deliver success during his time.
“Overall Cuper was a successful coach and took Egypt to the final of the 2017 African Nations Cup and then a first World Cup for 28 years,” said the official.
While there is a demand for something similar from the new man, there are also expectations that Aguirre will bring a different style to team from his predecessor. Frustration among fans in Russia with Cuper’s defensive tactics reached a boiling point after the three defeats. Aguire has already indicated that he will not follow Cuper’s defense-first philosophy.
“I respect the way he played but my way of playing is completely different,” Aguirre said. “There will be a total change in the way of thinking and a strong pressing of the opposition when the ball is lost.
“I have great dreams and ambitions for Egypt.”
Javier Aguirre sets sights on putting smile back on face of Egypt national team
Javier Aguirre sets sights on putting smile back on face of Egypt national team
- The Mexican has promised Egypt will not produce the drab, defence-first football of Hector Cuper's time as coach
- First priority is qualification for next year's African Cup of Nations
Djokovic’s new approach heading into the Australian Open: ‘24 is not a bad number’
- Djokovic is starting a third season in pursuit a 25th Grand Slam singles title
- Djokovic last won a major title at the 2023 US Open
MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic can still crack a joke when discussing the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry that for two years has prevented him from becoming the most decorated tennis player ever.
“I lost three out of four Slams against either Sinner or Alcaraz,” in 2025, he said Saturday, on the eve of the Australian Open.
“We don’t need to praise them too much,” he added, smiling. “They have been praised enough! We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of the men’s tennis at the moment.”
Djokovic is starting a third season in pursuit a 25th Grand Slam singles title, and has refined his approach for the Australian Open.
He withdrew from his only scheduled tuneup tournament, knowing he’s lacking “a little bit of juice in my legs” to compete with two young stars at end of the majors and that he has to stay as pain-free as possible.
Djokovic worked out how to beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the established rivalry before he turned it into the Big Three and then surpassed them both.
A winner of 24 major championships — a record for the Open era and tied with Margaret Court for the most in the history of tennis — the 38-year-old Djokovic is doing everything to keep himself “in the mix.”
Djokovic last won a major title at the 2023 US Open. Sinner and Alcaraz have split the eight since then. Sinner has won the last two Australian titles. Alcaraz is in Australia determined to add the title at Melbourne Park to complete a career Grand Slam.
Despite being hampered by injuries, Djokovic reached the semifinals at all four majors last year. A torn hamstring forced him to quit his Australian Open semifinal, after he’d ousted Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
By reminding himself that “24 is also not a bad number,” Djokovic said he’s taking the “now-or-never type of mentality” out of his every appearance at a major because it’s not allowing him to excel at his best.
“Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That’s a fact,” Djokovic said, “but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance.
“So I like my chances always, in any tournament, particularly here.”
The 10-time Australian Open champion starts Monday in a night match on Rod Laver Arena against No. 71-ranked Pedro Martinez of Spain. Seeded fourth, he’s in the same half of the draw as Sinner. That means they can only meet in the semifinals here.
Fitness
Djokovic hasn’t played an official tournament since November.
“Obviously took more time to rebuild my body, because I understand that in the last couple of years, that’s what changed the most for me — takes more time to rebuild, and it also takes more time to reset or recover,” he said. “I had a little setback that prevented me to compete at Adelaide tournament ... but it’s been going on very well so far here.”
He said there’s “something here and there” every day in terms of aches and pains, “but generally I feel good and look forward to competing.”
PTPA
Djokovic cut ties earlier this month with the Professional Tennis Players Association, a group he co-founded, saying “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.”
Djokovic and Canadian player Vasek Pospisil launched the PTPA in 2020, aiming to offer representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.
“It was a tough call for me to exit the PTPA, but I had to do that, because I felt like my name was ... overused,” he said. “I felt like people, whenever they think about PTPA, they think it’s my organization, which is a wrong idea from the very beginning.”
He said he’s still supporting the concept.
“I am still wishing them all the best, because I think that there is room and there is a need for a 100 percent players-only representation organization existing in our ecosystem,” he said.
