Former coach of the US football team is the new head coach of the Egyptian national football squad. Inas Mazhar reports The American coach signed his three-year contract at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association earlier this week. Bradley was received by EFA President Samir Zaher and board members. Bradley signed his contract in front of the media and received a red jersey worn by the Pharaohs with his name written on the back. Zaher said they selected Bradley for the job after reviewing around 30 CVs of foreign head coaches all over the world. "He was among the final shortlist with three other coaches, and after interviewing each here in Cairo, we decided that was the best man to lead the Egyptians in this period." Bradley told reporters he was glad to take over as head coach of the reigning African champions, saying he knew that he had to do a lot in order to help Egypt regain its glory days. Egypt has been dominating African football for the past five years, since winning the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations and two more consecutive times as well a high of nine at the FIFA world ranking. However, Egypt collapsed after failing to qualify for the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to take place in 2012 in Gabon and GuineaBissau. The Egyptians also failed to make an appearance at the 2010 World Cup which was staged for the first time in Africa. Many wondered why the former coach of the USA would take the job in Egypt. Bradley told Al-Ahram Weekly that before coming here he consulted with the US State Department about the safety of working in Egypt and was told he could take the job and that matters are stable in the country. "I spoke to those who lived and are still living in Cairo and they said it's one of the best places to be. Egypt is a historical country and I'm fond of that so I didn't hesitate when I received the offer. I believe it is a nice country for me and my family to live in. The new head coach, who is succeeding the famous Hassan Shehata, is very much aware that Egyptians are eyeing the World Cup of 2014 and that it is considered his main task and will plan ahead according. So far, Bradley hasn't selected his associates. "We are still discussing it. I'm listening to the EFA as they nominate people to join the technical staff. They are suggesting people and so am I but in the end I will have the last word." Rumours in the past week claimed that Bradley insists on having his Egyptian-American goalkeeping coach Zaki Abdel-Fatah who held negotiations with the EFA, as well as a fitness coach, to the extent that he had agreed to reduce his own salary so that Abdel-Fatah can join the staff. But it is also said that the EFA does not want Abdel-Fatah for many reasons. He apparently asked for more money than the EFA could afford and secondly because he speaks a lot to the media; it seems that Abdel-Fatah would like to be the second man in the technical staff combining both jobs: general coach and goalkeeping coach, which the EFA refuses. Bradley left immediately for the US after signing with the Pharaohs and will return to start his job officially by the first week of October. However, Bradley will not be in charge of the Egypt versus Niger game in the last qualifier of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, according to EFA Secretary-General Ihab Saleh. "It has been agreed that this game is the responsibility of head coach of the Olympic team Hani Ramzi who was in charge of the previous game (against Sierra Leone) as well." Saleh revealed the details of the contract. "The contract extends until the end of the World Cup in Brazil in July 2014. He will receive a monthly gross salary of 37,500 euros but will receive a net salary of 30,000 euros after deducting taxes and insurance with a 10% annual increase to the gross salary. We provide him, like any other coach, with a house, a car, a driver... etc."
