LUXOR: Egypt U-20 boss Miroslav Soukup unveiled his plan to prepare the young Pharaohs for the World Cup, saying they will set off on a European tour to play several warm-ups with high-profile sides. The Czech tactician s statements came in the wake of the U-20 World Cup draw, after his side were drawn in Group A alongside Italy, Trinidad and Tobago and Paraguay. Apparently, he s pretty much concerned over the clash with the Azzuri. My plan is to face the likes of France and Germany in friendly games to get accustomed to Italy s playing style, said Soukup after the draw on Sunday night. I will also try to arrange several exhibitions with Italian clubs as well to prepare for our toughest challenge (against Italy) in the group stage. When asked about Trinidad and Tobago, he said: Honestly, I don t know much about them, but that will change soon. I m going to closely watch their matches and put my finger on their strengths and weaknesses. Hosts Egypt will kick off their campaign by facing Trinidad on Sunday Sept. 24 at the Egyptian Army Stadium in Alexandria. Much as stern challenges are on the horizon for Egypt, Soukup believes all groups are quite balanced. It s was expected that we will be drawn with a powerful European team. If it hadn t been Italy, it would have been England or France, he added. Although he sounded confident, Soukup refused to make any promises. We are focused on qualifying for the next round, he stated. I think that we will receive huge support throughout the tournament, but I can t promise anything. I just hope to live up to the expectations. Soukup is arguably the right man for the job; Czech Republic finished as runners-up in the previous edition of the global competition under his management, after losing to Argentina in the final.
