Egypt Coach Vows He Won't Underrate Nigeria

Egypt head coach, Hector Cuper, has said that he will prepare adequately for his side's AFCON qualifiers against Nigeria regardless of the current FIFA ranking of Super Eagles.

The Pharaohs have missed the last three edition of the African Nations Cup and they currently top Group G with six points after beating Tanzania and Chad in their first two games, and the Argentine tactician insists his side will not look down on any team because it has hurt them in the past.

“There is no such thing as easy opponents as journalists call them,” Cuper told Fifa.com.

“We must respect any team regardless of the ranking and history, because Egypt itself has suffered in the past qualifiers because it dropped points in what you call easy games.

“I would be lying if I said that I don’t wish to avoid certain teams in the World Cup draw, but my job is to get Egypt prepared for any opponent.

“My job is to make the likes of Côte d’Ivoire, for instance, be worried that they will face us.

“I repeatedly tell my players that we can make people happy. Many people are suffering from the problems of everyday life.

“Some are poor, some are unemployed. For those people, football might be their ultimate source of joy,” he concluded.

Under Cuper’s stewardship, the Pharaohs have been promising wining three games and recording a defeat in four competitive games, and they have won four of five friendly matches.