CAIRO - Bob Bradley, the technical coach of Egypt's senior football team, has described the four-day Sudan-based preparation camp as useful, stressing that the Pharaohs are improving. The Pharaohs would hold preparation camp from April 10 to 18 in Dubai, during which they will play Angola on April 14, and they will play Iraq in another friendly. "We have benefited from the Sudan preparation camp in which we played two friendlies against Uganda and Chad [on March 29 and 31 respectively]," he told reporters in Sudan after the Chad friendly. They had travelled to Sudan last Wednesday for the camp. The Pharaohs stunned Chad's national team 4-0 on Saturday night, thanks to a goal from Mohamed Salah in the 30th minute, a powerful Ahmed Khairi header in the 44th minute and a strike by Ahmed Hassan Mekki on 90 minutes; Chad defender Hassan Hussein also helped the Egyptian team cause with an own goal in the 88th minute. "Some people imagine that Chad and Uganda aren't strong teams, but they both have a good defence. It's good for us to start our preparations for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifiers playing Chad and Uganda, as we'll be up against other teams that play similar football," he explained. Bradley's main task is now to take Egypt to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil; that would be Egypt's third-ever appearance and its first in 24 years. Egypt have been drawn in group G alongside Guinea, Zimbabwe and Mozambique for the World Cup qualifiers. The Egyptian senior team will start the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in June when they host Mozambique; a week later, they will play their second game in the group against Guinea away from home before facing Central Africa in the 2013 ACN qualifiers in mid-June. "I am trying to build a strong team, creating harmony between the new and experienced players," the 53-year-old coach added. Bradley took over as US coach in 2007, after he was taken on as interim coach when the Americans struggled in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He guided the US team through the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but they lost to Ghana in the second round after drawing with England in the group stage. Bradley, who replaced long-time coach Hassan Shehata, added that the most important thing about the Sudan camp was the spirit and desire shown by the new players, who want to prove themselves. “The lads played well in the second-half of both friendlies and this shows that our emphasis on physical fitness is paying dividends. But we need more games to get things just right," Bradley continued. “The door is open for any player who proves himself. The national team is not restricted to Ahly and Zamalek players. Only the best will play.” Al-Ahly and Zamalek players participated in the Uganda game, but they weren't available for the Chad friendly. Coach Bradley gave them a rest, so they could prepare for their clubs' ACL second-leg matches. Last week Bradley met with the technical coaches of the Red Devils and the White Knights to arrange for the players to join the Sudan preparation camp, after playing their first-leg ties in the African tournament. The Ahly and Zamalek internationals returned to Cairo on Friday. The Ahly (Red Devils) players are Mohamed Abou Treika, Ahmed Fathi, Hossam Ghali, Walid Soliman and Mohamed Naguib. The Zamalek (White Knights) players are Mohamed Abdel-Shafei, Mahmoud Abdel-Razeq ‘Shikaballah', Ibrahim Salah and Mahmoud Fathallah. The Egyptian giants Ahly and Zamalek had mixed fortunes last week in their first-leg matches in round 32 of the African Champions League (ACL): Ahly drew 0-0 against Ethiopian Coffee in Addis Ababa, while Zamalek snatched a 1-0 win over Africa Sports of Côte d'Ivoire in Cairo. Zamalek's second leg against the West African team will be held on April 8 in the Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, but Ahly's second leg against Ethiopian Coffee in Cairo on the same date. "The coaching staff were happy with the team's performance against Uganda on Thursday," Egypt's general coach Diaa el-Sayyed said after the game, adding it enabled the staff to evaluate the players' performance. "Many players want to prove themselves in the national team and we'll take a good, long look at them," el-Sayyed explaine. He pointed out that Ismaili midfielder Ahmed Khairi, and Police Union players Ahmed Doweidar and Salah Ashour will be joining the team for the next camp. The Pharaohs defeated Uganda 2-1, thanks to goals from Olympic player Mohamed Salah and Al-Ahly playmaker Abou Treika. El-Sayyed praised the performance of Egypt's Olympic duo, defender Ahmed Hegazi and midfielder Salah. "They're both steady guys and deserve a central place in the main line-up,” he stressed. He added that the coaching staff are hoping the team will play a friendly against Nigeria this month in preparation for the World Cup and ACN qualifiers. The Pharaohs would hold preparation camp from April 10 to 18 in Dubai, during which they will play Angola on April 14, and they will play Iraq in another friendly.
