The Egyptian Football Association chairman Hany Abo Rida has revealed his wish to retain Hector Cuper at the helms of the Pharaohs beyond his current deal that expires this summer, but admitted that performance results may be a decisive factor. The Argentinean coach took over the Pharaohs in March 2015, leading Egypt to the final of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and reaching the 2018 World Cup finals to end a 28-year old drought. "What matter are the results and achievements. We cannot talk about Cuper's future and renewing his contract until after the World Cup," Abo Rida told an Egyptian TV program on Saturday. "Personally I would like him to stay for a long time; he is very similar to us and convenient. He talks little about himself and always gives credit and praise to his fellow players. It is also great to have a world renowned coach, it boosts the reputation of the national team," he added. The 62-year old tactician's contract expires next June and he has been reportedly approached by teams in South America and Asia. The Pharaohs have been paired with hosts Russia, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the World Cup Group A, giving the seven-time African Champions a glimpse of hope of going beyond the group stage for the first time in their history. The team will start preparations in March, playing two warm up games against Portugal and Greece before having a final camp in May ahead of the World Cup. "Everything is going well and we have already our March fixtures set. We have also reached an agreement with Kuwait to play them at the beginning of our camp next May. Our preparation for the World Cup is good," the EFA boss concluded. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
