Johannesburg – Former Orlando Pirates head coach Roger de Sa will be jetting off to Egypt to take the baton as assistant coach to his long-time friend Carlos Queiroz.
The 57-year-old confirmed to Sunday World on Thursday, he has bagged a new role with the seventh-time African champions to strengthen the national squad, in their bid to qualify for Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022.
De Sa who has good track record of mentorship vacated his position as the Cape Town All-Star coach with immediate effect after receiving an overwhelming contract offer.
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“Considering this opportunity became one of those major milestones in a highlight of my career, being granted this chance is huge for me,” De Sa revealed to Sunday World.
“There’s nothing bigger than joining the continental flagship, it will come with challenges, but I am happy that I’ll rejoin my friend Carlos, to take the national team forward and lead it to victories,” he added.
The fellow countryman to Queiroz, says his primary focus for Egypt is to offer his mentorship and to see the team show more fight in the qualifiers.
“What I want is a very good fighting mentality for the national team,” De Sa says on his new role.
When asked about upcoming qualifying matches, the former Ajax Cape Town coach stressed that the football calendar for Egypt is tight, coupled with back-to-back tournaments, but he will make a way around to assist the team.
Although he hasn’t landed in Egypt yet, De Sa says he still needs to familiarize himself with the Egyptian Premier League to scout young talents, so he assists Queiroz to make suitable selections.
This is not the first time two Portuguese men join forces in the national technical team.
De Sa and Queiroz’s relationship dates back to 2000- 2002 where he acted as Bafana Bafana’s goalkeeping coach during Queiroz’s reign.
The duo helped Bafana to advance to 2002 FIFA World Cup competition held in South Korea and Japan.
De Sa will join the Pharaohs when they face off Libya in the second round of World Cup qualifiers.
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