A coach’s start is not measured by the result alone, but in Egyptian football the result is the door through which any idea enters. That is why tonight’s match against Malawi feels like more than just a third-round game in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ali Maher takes over just days after the previous staff left, in an atmosphere where debate over player selection and style of play has not died down. A coach who made his name in the domestic league with tactical discipline now has a squad with enough talent, but one that needs someone to bring it together around a single idea.
What fans are waiting for is not a show, but signs: How does the team press? How does it build attacks? Who are the leaders on the pitch? Clear answers to these questions in the two matches against Malawi will matter more than any pre-match statement.
In return, the new staff need some patience from the media and the fans; national teams are not built in a single camp. But patience is usually granted to those who show a path, not to those who only make promises.
A win tonight will buy Maher time; a convincing performance will give him something more valuable: trust.
Opinion — the views expressed are the author’s own
