New Egypt coach Hector Cuper was officially presented as the Pharaohs boss this week, and at his unveiling, he told the media about his excitement with regards to taking the side forward towards their Nations Cup and World Cup qualifying targets.

The Argentine was a surprising announcement as the new coach last week, when the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) released a statement that revealed Cuper as the new man at the helm of the seven-time African champions.

Previous coach Shawky Gharib was fired when he failed to qualify the Pharaohs for to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but former Inter and Valencia manager Cuper was keen to let the assembled local media know that he is ready to bring Egypt back to their previous giant status.

“My goal is to build a new team for Egypt and to make it capable of regaining its winning rhythm. I will do my best to help the Pharaohs regain their former glory,” Cuper told the media at a press conference to officially present him as the Pharaohs coach.

“I am very happy to work in Egypt. When I received the offer I didn’t think twice. Egypt is a big name on the continent, with a great history. I hope to achieve more success here.”

Addressing fears that his lack of experience in Africa will impact negatively on his new position, Cuper dismissed such concerns.

“I know a lot of things about Egyptian football. There are a lot of talents and good players and I know how to deal with them. I know Salah and I watched him during Fiorentina’s last games,” he added. “He is a good player but a football team includes 11 players, not just one.”

According to information released at the presentation, his contract is for a three year stint, but the EFA have included a clause that will see his deal cancelled if he does not achieve qualification for the 2017 Nations Cup.

Cuper will now need to focus on the upcoming objectives for the national team, which include FIFA World Cup qualifiers in October, and the 2017 AFCON qualifying campaign, which begins in June this year.