Egypt national team head coach Ali Maher praised captain Mohamed Salah during a press conference on Wednesday, where he discussed taking charge of the Pharaohs after Hossam Hassan and preparing for the upcoming matches against Malawi in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Maher spoke about several important challenges facing his coaching staff, including making the most of the players' abilities, dealing with limited preparation time, and maintaining regular communication with Egyptian players based abroad.

The new head coach expressed his happiness at leading the national team, describing the position as a great honor for any Egyptian coach.

He also thanked the Egyptian Football Association for trusting him with the responsibility.

Maher thanked President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for supporting Egyptian coaches and stressed that his main goal is to help the national team perform well and bring happiness to Egyptian football fans.

Praise for Salah and a Message to Hossam Hassan

Ali Maher devoted part of his press conference to praising Mohamed Salah, the Egypt captain who currently plays for Turkish club Trabzonspor.

Maher described Salah as one of the greatest players in Egyptian football history, highlighting his performances and achievements throughout his career.

The Egypt coach also spoke about Salah's importance to the national team, both because of his football abilities and the experience he can share with his teammates.

Maher expressed confidence in the current squad, saying Egypt have talented players who can compete at a high level and achieve positive results.

He explained that the atmosphere within the team is positive and that all players are focused on helping Egyptian football succeed.

The head coach also highlighted the strong connection between the national team and its supporters, saying that Egypt's results have a major influence on the mood of football fans across the country.

Speaking about former head coach Hossam Hassan, Maher thanked him for his efforts during his time in charge of the national team.

He made it clear that his intention is not to start everything again, but to build on the work already completed by Hassan and his coaching staff.

Maher believes the squad includes players with the quality to compete against strong teams in Africa and around the world.

He also expressed confidence in their ability to understand and apply his tactical ideas.

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Maher's Plans Ahead of the Malawi Matches

Ali Maher admitted that limited preparation time is one of the biggest challenges at the beginning of his time with Egypt.

He explained that managing a national team is different from coaching a club, as club managers work with their players every day, while national team coaches have much shorter training periods.

For that reason, Maher wants to make the best possible use of every training session and focus on the most important areas before the upcoming matches.

The Egypt coach said he has several tactical ideas he would like to introduce, but he understands that changes must be made according to the time available.

Maher also revealed plans to hold regular meetings with his players through Zoom after the two matches against Malawi.

These online meetings will help him stay in contact with the squad, especially players based outside Egypt, and follow their progress between international breaks.

He believes regular communication will help the coaching staff prepare more effectively for future matches and maintain a strong relationship with the players.

Maher has already announced Egypt's 26-man squad for the third and fourth rounds of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi.

The squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy, Mahdy Soliman, Mostafa Shobier, Mohamed Alaa.

Defenders: Mahmoud El Wensh, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Rami Rabia, Mohamed Abdelmonem, Mahmoud Marei, Mohamed Hany, Karim Hafez, Ahmed Fatouh, Tarek Alaa.

Midfielders: Marwan Attia, Mohanad Lasheen, Mahmoud Saber, Mohamed Shehata, Nasser Maher, Ibrahim Adel, Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Haitham Hassan.

Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, Hamza Abdelkarim, Mahmoud Mamdouh.

Maher hopes to make a positive start as Egypt head coach against Malawi, relying on the experience of senior internationals, including Mohamed Salah, alongside the other players selected for the squad.

The two matches will be the first official test for the new coaching staff, who aim to build on the work of the previous management team and secure important results in Egypt's campaign to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.