Moataz Al Shami (Dubai)
The Argentinian Rodolfo Arwabarina, our first coach of the national team, interrupted the ambitions of “Al-Abyad” in the competition for the title of the “Gulf Cup 25” scheduled in Basra in Iraq in the period from 6 to 19 January, in which he his career with Bahrain appointment next Saturday evening in the first round of the second group, which also includes Kuwait and Qatar.
“Our goal is to reach the final stages, compete for the title and play well and honorably in the Gulf Cup,” Arwabarina said, during a press conference held at the Al-Nasr Club, which preceded the last friendly match for “Al-Abyad” against its host, Lebanon, tonight at the Al Maktoum stadium.
He explained: “The current squad includes 25 players, as two players will be left out before time to travel to Basra next Monday.” And we will have about 5 days before the start against Bahrain.
Arwabarina revised the player selection mechanism for the current Gulf Cup squad roster, which included athletic criteria, injuries, last-round injuries, disciplinary rulings, and family circumstances. training during training camps and official matches, in order to get a complete idea of all the players.
He added: “We took into account the condition of the injuries and the need for some players to recover for longer periods, and we also encountered new injuries during the last round of the league.” He has also dealt with family circumstances, citing Al-Ahly youth defender Walid Abbas, who has stood out for his performance and strength of character on and off the pitch.
On the reasons for the exclusion of Ali Mabkhout, historic top scorer of the national team, Arwabarina explained: “I know the importance of Mabkhout for the national team and for all the players, and I have a distinct relationship like that between the coach and the player, I try other advantages on the pitch as a team.”
The Al-Abyad coach underlined that “the list of those who will join the national team has been detailed to think about participating in the Gulf Cup with the aim of appearing honorable and going all the way, without thinking beyond the Gulf Cup”.
He continued: “My concern is to write a new team in the history of football with the help of the players and coaching staff, and we want to be an influential team in official matches and the Gulf Cup, and I hope the work and the commitment made by the technical staff and players in the last period will be reflected in the expected participation in the Gulf Cup”.
Regarding his message to Sports Street, the Al-Abyad manager said, “We must appear fighting spirit and honorably, and we trust Sports Street’s supportive reaction to the players and the national team. Fighting spirit and a strong personality is the most important requirement to win the Gulf Cup title, and we need to play as a team and have a strong personality.”
