Egypt coach Hector Cuper has hailed the impact of the Pharaohs star Mohamed Salah on the country's national team, while stressing that the AS Roma player should always do his best to book a place on the team. "Salah is a wonderful player. He is a humble person and feels great responsibility towards his country. He is ready to do anything for the sake of Egypt's national team," Cuper said in an interview on Monday on CBC channel's Sahebat El-Saada TV programme. "I cannot ask Salah for more than what he already delivers to Egypt's team," the 61-year-old Argentinean coach added. Since his appointment in March 2015, the former Inter Milan coach depended mainly on Salah, who played an instrumental role in the team's recent success. The seven-time African Champions Egypt finished as runners-up at the 2017 African Cup of Nations in an impressive return to Africa's elite for the first time since 2010. Egypt lost 2-1 to Cameroon in the final on 5 February. Salah scored twice and created another two goals in the African tournament. "I prefer players who feel that the team is more important than themselves. Salah is one of those players," Cuper explained. "My advice to Salah is to keep improving his performance and to always compete for a place at the national team, as he must know that calling him up is not guaranteed, regardless of the name of his club," the coach added. Salah, who has played for European clubs Chelsea and Fiorentina, is also playing an important role for his country as it marches towards its first World Cup appearance since 1990. The Egyptians, who are leading their group in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, will face Uganda in an away game in September. Egypt has six points in its group, two clear of second-placed Uganda, while Ghana are third on a solitary point ahead of a trailing Congo. Egypt will return to action for the first time since the African Cup of Nations when they host Togo on Tuesday in Alexandria in a friendly match amid preparations for the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifiers. Salah is among the squad called for the match. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
