Bradley named new Egypt coach
Reuters - Wednesday 14 September 2011, 18:21
CAIRO - Egypt have appointed former
United States coach Bob Bradley as national team manager, state
news agency MENA said on Wednesday.
Bradley replaces long-standing coach Hassan Shehata who left
in June after holders Egypt struggled in qualifying for the 2012
African Nations Cup finals. They have since been eliminated.
Bradley, fired by the U.S. in July, was on an Egyptian FA
shortlist that included the experienced Francisco Maturana, who
has managed Peru, Ecuador and his native Colombia, and Zoran
Filipovic, the former Yugoslav striker and Montenegro coach.
The American will be given the task of getting Egypt to the
World Cup finals for the first time since 1990.
Bradley is expected to arrive in Cairo on Sunday or Monday
to sign a contract, Egyptian FA spokesman Azmi Mugahed told
MENA. Details of the deal will be announced next week.
Bradley took over as the permanent head coach of the U.S. in
2007 after being taken on as interim coach when the Americans
flopped at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
He enjoyed instant success, winning the 2007 CONCACAF Gold
Cup at home and leading the U.S. to the final of the 2009
Confederations Cup in South Africa.
Bradley guided the team through the qualifiers for the 2010
World Cup, also in South Africa, but they lost in the second
round to Ghana after drawing with England in the group stage.
Bradley was linked with a move to English Premier League club
Aston Villa but signed a four-year extension last year to stay
on as U.S. head coach.
However, his position came under renewed attack after the
U.S. were beaten by Panama in the group stages at this year's
CONCACAF Gold Cup. They recovered to reach the final against
Mexico but squandered a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2.