Ahdaaf » Interviews

FRIDAY WITH… FABIO LOPEZ

Hamoudi — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 14:19:50 +0000

Fabio Lopez, a former goalkeeper in Italy, arrives in the Middle East for his first coaching job and that is with Al-Orouba of Oman. Al-Orouba, who had won the league just two seasons ago, failed to re-clinch the title – sacking 4 managers on the way – in the following season. After experience in Asia with various national teams Fabio Lopez takes his first club job in the region, where he aims to bring his Italian experience and tactical intelligence into the Omani game.

Lopez gives us the lowdown on what he has seen, what he expects and what there is to know about being a foreign manager in Middle Eastern Football.

What is your first impression of Oman?

Fabio Lopez: Oman is a beautiful country, but what I like most about the country is the warmth of the people. They are nice and very friendly.

How is your coaching experience in Asia?

FL: In Asia I have had a lot of experience. The last time I coached here was with a National Team where we played a World Cup Qualifying Match for Russia 2018. So after stints with Malaysia, Indonesia, Maldives and the Bangladesh National Team, I think the experience in life is all good and we can learn every time. I hope I can do the same with Al-Orouba and have a great experience.

How is your coaching staff like? Do you have an Italian scout and coach with you for analysis or an Omani coach?

FL: Amongst my staff I have a Fitness Coach and Goalkeeping Coach from Italy, meanwhile my assistant coach is from Oman. The assistant helps me in the scouting of the local players, otherwise in Italy I have some other person that can collaborate with me by internet to do some of the tactical analysis.

Is it hard to communicate with players who don’t speak the language you speak?

FL: In all my experience I’ve never really had a problem with player communication, the players are clever. I also think that when a communication problem emerges between the coach and the player, most of the time that problem stems from the coach.

How do you see the Omani league from a professional point of view?

FL: Omani football is indeed growing very well. I have already seen the quality of the player which is relatively very good. Omani football is currently in a development phase therefore it is very interesting be part of this moment.

What is your aim with the club?

FL: I think no coach in the world goes to the field to think about losing, so if we can share this belief with the club together we will make a great team and I think Al-Orouba will be able to end the season with a trophy.

FRIDAY WITH… SUPER FAN VIJAY BHARADWAJ

Ahmed Hashim — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 11:29:17 +0000

Take a tour of the offices of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) in the Qatari capital of Doha and you might notice their digital countdown clock. Last year, the SC, who are in charge of the 2022 World Cup preparations, marked the moment the clock showed seven years to go until kickoff on November 21, 2022. It was a symbolic moment that provided both a sense of excitement about what was to come and also a bit of wonder at how fast time has passed since Qatar surprised the world by winning the hosting rights. In the five years since that announcement, the SC has left no stone unturned in working towards ensuring a remarkable World Cup.

Part of the SC’s work in the past few years has been to engage with one of the World Cup’s most important components – its people. Apart from including and listening to local stakeholders in Qatar, the SC has also been active outside the country with innovative steps such as the youth-led Generation Amazing programme. In line with these steps, the SC has brought in fans from abroad to experience football in Qatar and give them a taste of how the World Cup in 2022 will be like.

In January 2016, the SC invited 5 ‘Super Fans’ of FC Bayern Munich from Germany, Saudi Arabia, India and China to attend the German team’s winter training camp in Doha. For the five lucky fans, this was an opportunity to get exclusive access to their heroes, in addition to getting a glimpse of what Qatar had to offer.

Ahdaaf.me had an opportunity to chat with one of the Super Fans – Vijay Bharadwaj, a 22-year old chartered accountancy student and die-hard Bayern supporter from Bengaluru, India. Six months after his visit to Qatar, Vijay reminisced about an experience that he will cherish for a lifetime.

Vijay Bharadwaj (far-right) and the Super Fans, pictured alongside Nasser Al-Khater, Assistant Secretary General of the SC

If there’s one thing that Vijay would select to thank for his good fortune, he would perhaps select the game of football itself. At home in India, he is one of the prominent members of the West Block Blues, the uber-passionate supporters’ group of his local team – Bengaluru FC. Away from home, he calls himself “a die hard fan of Germany since the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Bayern Munich since 2008.”

Being from a cricket-mad nation, Vijay started out with a passion for ‘the gentleman’s game’ before shifting his interests to ‘the beautiful game.’ And it was in football that he discovered his true love. “Football came at a later age to me than most of my peers because I used to watch more of cricket (which I’ve stopped now) and lot of wrestling, which I still do now. But football has been an integral part of who I am since my teenage years. The beautiful game helped me get through a lot of tough times and I’m forever grateful to the sport for that.”

When Vijay’s passion for Bayern Munich took him to Qatar, it wasn’t just the thought of meeting his heroes that excited him. For him, it was a return to a region he considered a second home.

“I stayed in the Middle East for almost 12 years. I moved to Saudi Arabia and then later to Bahrain. It’s a very important part of who I am. Casually, at times, I tell people I’m half Arabian (chuckles) because that’s the impact the region has had on me.”

I ask him to describe his feelings when he was selected to be a part of the SC’s Super Fan initiative. “To put it in a single phrase – on cloud nine! It’d be an understatement to say that I was in disbelief because until I received my tickets and itinerary for the trip, I refused to believe it. Even when my flight landed at Hamad International Airport, I pinched myself to ensure that I wasn’t dreaming. It just seemed too good to be true but it happened and I’m grateful to a lot of people, especially the folks at Sportskeeda and Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity and my brother who helped me win the contest organized,” says Vijay.

In total, five fans from around the world made the trip to Qatar to meet the Bayern Munich team. For Vijay, the SC is taking the right steps in engaging with global fans.“I can’t speak for efforts made locally since I’ve not seen the work put in towards that. But the initiative to reach out across the continent and outside of Asia is a big step towards ensuring the State of Qatar would be a welcoming destination to everyone,” he said. “During my trip, I had an opportunity to meet fellow Bayern Munich fans from Saudi Arabia, China and even Germany. So, you could say it’s a convergence of people from different countries towards a common love and destination of football.”

Once the Super Fans landed in Doha, they were taken to the opening game of the AFC U23 Championship between Qatar and China. As a Bengaluru FC fan, Vijay is used to thousands of fans attending on each matchday, making a lot of noise, having fun and supporting their team. When asked to compare that to what he saw in Qatar, he went into analysis mode.

“The (Qatar v China) game was on a weekday and the turnout was around approximately 6800 people, which in my view is a good number for a weekday. Well, there wasn’t any organized group of fans chanting for the Qatar NT but there was this one man, who went by the moniker of El Bombo, and he was as active what an ultra would be like throughout the whole match. Even when the team was trailing, he was leading the chants and riling the local fans up to back the team along with his drum. That single person reminded me of my fellow fans because that’s what we do as a collective unit, every matchday, week in and week out. I guess, a collective effort and organized group is the need of the hour for that.”

However, the AFCU23 game was an anomaly in the local scene as most games in Qatar and some neighbouring countries generally suffer from low attendances.

Vijay responds: “Some factors are there that can’t really be dealt with like the weather conditions. Middle Eastern countries usually have extreme conditions. Maybe even the stadia locations could be a reason for low attendances because that does play a key factor in getting people to the stands. Another thing in the same category could be the demographics as the number of expatriates in the Middle East is very high and from what I know they don’t follow the local football scene.”

The Super Fans with acclaimed coach Bora Milutinovic during a tour of the ASPIRE Zone

On a different note, if Qatar is found lacking in terms of attendances, it surely does not lack in infrastructure. Vijay saw it all up close at ASPIRE, Qatar state-of-the-art sports zone.

“I got a chance to tour of the facilities at ASPIRE. Honestly, I had no idea about what the ASPIRE academy was all about until I did some ground work when I received the itinerary of the trip. From what I had come across, I knew that it was a state of the art multi-sport training facility. It looked really impressive from the pictures online but when I actually got to see in person during the tour conducted by Bora Milutinovic (One of the only 2 men who’ve taken 5 different nations to the FIFA World Cup), only then did I actually realize what a marvel that facility truly is.”

Vijay waxed lyrical about what ASPIRE had to offer, including the indoor stadium, training pitches and the health & hospitality facilities. “For me, it is the best sports facility in the GCC territory and probably Asia from what I’ve read up and seen.”

Another prominent feature of the trip was meeting Nasser Al Khater, the Assistant Secretary General of the SC. Vijay recalled the interaction with Al-Khater: “Being a man of great stature, he is a very humble and amicable person whom I had the great pleasure of interacting with. During my chat with him, he mentioned two things that really caught my attention.”

Al-Khater told Vijay of two target markets that were identified in Asia, from which huge numbers are expected during the World Cup month in late 2022. The first was China and the second, to Vjiay’s delight, was India. “Another thing is that after the tournament ends, they plan to donate a sizable number of the bucket seats to be installed in each of the host stadiums, to other sports facilities, stadia in Asia which can’t afford the same. I found this extremely commendable and immediately made my appreciation towards the gesture and so did the rest of the lucky fans.”

Having seen the best of Qatari hospitality and a taste of its footballing side, Vijay now looks forward to making another visit – in 2022.

“I’m very excited (about 2022). I can actually plan for a trip since it isn’t in another continent and probably make another bucket list wish come true of watching Germany live (Insha Allah!)”

Does he think Qatar 2022 will be a success with the fans who are going to descend on the country? “It’s too early to even give a prediction, but the planning done so far is extensive. I think smaller details, such as dealing with different football fan cultures of different nations and other matters could decide a lot of it, more than anything else.”

For now, the World Cup in Qatar is shrouded in controversy. Allegations of human rights abuse have been circulating many years before a ball is even kicked.

Vijay is reluctant to say much about the issue as he contends that he does not enough information about the matter. But he does say this: “Every World Cup preparation faces such controversy. Even the recent one in Brazil 2 years back did. It became a topic of discussion but not as much as the 2022 WC preparations have. When you look at it from that point of view, I think it’s unfair to Qatar.”

Vijay got to meet his Bayern Munich heroes during his Qatar trip. Here he is with upcoming German star Joshua Kimmich

At the end of our chat, Vijay looks back at the visit once again and expressed his immense feeling of elation at having got this opportunity. Having lived in the Gulf for almost half of his life, Vijay feels “visiting Qatar was like a homecoming of sorts.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed the warmth of the people over there. It’s definitely worth coming back to. I got to see my favourite Bayern Munich players up close and even grab a few pictures as well. And to top it off, a sneak peak at the plans for the 2022 World Cup. Can’t ask for much more than that.

It’s something I’m sure to tell my kids about.”

FRIDAY WITH… BILAL AHMAD

Hamoudi — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 10:39:15 +0000

Bilal Ahmad (right) fights off Jordanian Olympic star Ihsan Haddad

Born in what is now the war-torn governorate of Al-Anbar in Iraq, Bilal Ahmad is on his way to helping Kufrsoum consolidate themselves in the Manaseer Jordanian Pro League after their magnificent promotion from the Jordanian First Division with his strong performances in the heart of defence.

Currently 6 points ahead of the relegation spots in the Jordanian Pro League, with one win Kufrsoum are able to move up to 5^th place and further away from relegation. However, for Bilal Ahmad it’s not just avoiding relegation as he aims to learn a wealth of experiences from his first season in the top league.

His ultimate dream is to “play for the Iraqi National team, above all. The biggest honour, in my opinion, is to be playing for your national team.” He’s aiming for that by building his way through football, which is a trait that is not often seen with Middle Eastern footballers. Bilal Ahmed is a planner and a person who motivates himself by thinking of the ultimate goal.

Many times you see players who want to sign for the top league, for the biggest amount of money that they can fork out of the club. Yet with Bilal, this clearly isn’t the case and he mentions it when I ask him about the case of stability in the Jordanian League. As you may have heard in our Podcast Review of 2015 in Middle Eastern Football, the Jordanian League is volatile if you are a manager or a player.

Take Imad Khankan for example, while he was managing Jordanian giants Wehdat at the top of the table. He was ultimately sacked due to issues over finances hinting at how managers (and players) come to Jordan looking for a pay off that ranges from $8000 to $15000. Bilal Ahmed claims “the biggest success for a team isn’t just trophies, but stability.”

Bilal Ahmad (#4)

Bilal seems to agree with my philosophy for Middle Eastern football clubs. I believe that winning 2 trophies in the 3^rd year is better than winning 1 in 6 months, if the latter isn’t part of a calculated project. “Jordanian clubs have little to no stability at their clubs, in all honesty, however there are 2 or 3 clubs that can be attributed to this group of clubs that can proudly claim they have stability in Jordan”, Bilal continued.

This has lead to many up and down changes in the league table, namely Al-Faisaly’s rise to 1^st place from 11^th and Wehdat’s fall from the top of the league to 4^th behind Al-Ahli and Shabab Ordon. But, Bilal has other opinions: “In my personal opinion, the 2015-16 season of the Jordanian League has seen the best start yet. Halfway through the season and we still don’t know who is going to win the title unlike the 2014-15 season, and even more so, anybody from 5^th to 14^th is technically still in the relegation fight.”

Bilal speaks the truth, as a poor run of form up to 2 games can ultimately see your team flirt with the relegation zone in the 12-team Jordanian Pro League. This is the beauty of the Jordanian League, and Bilal hopes to make the village of Kufrsoum proud.

Bilal Ahmad with the Jordanian First Division trophy

His agent Saddam Al-Soudi describes Bilal with pride, “Bilal is a very ambitious player and that is great to see in the region. He has a big future and hopefully we get to see him as one of the players in the Iraq National Team.” He continued, “As a Kufrsoum fan myself, the fact that I would rather see Bilal play outside after growing himself as a footballer shows how special he is as a character and a player. I wish him the best of luck.”

Bilal Ahmad is working his hardest to become the role model for young kids in countries in the Levant such as Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Often, you see players aim to maximise income and it almost always ends up with a complaint to FIFA, a fight with the club and the player being forced to spend time out of football for 6 months or more. Bilal Ahmad thrives on being the opposite of that character.

Friday With… David Martinez

Wael Jabir — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 13:54:56 +0000

The year is 1983. A 36-years-old Saudi coach named Khalil Al-Zayani leads an unfancied Ettifaq FC to their first ever Saudi league title. This was in more than one way a revolutionary moment; Al-Zayani became the first ever Saudi manager to win the league. He would go on to become a legend of the game, leading his country to their maiden Asian Cup triumph in 1984 and taking the football team to the 1988 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Ettifaq, based in the eastern coast city of Dammam became Saudi Arabia’s original Invincibles, winning the 10-teams league without a single defeat. They would go on and bring the Kingdom its first taste of regional silverware in the shape of the Gulf Clubs Championship and its more coveted counterpart, the Arab Clubs championship. Five years later, Ettifaq would repeat the feat, winning the 1988 “treble”.

That same year, Five thousand miles away, in the Spanish city of Leon, our man today had just been born. David Martinez Castrillo grew up playing football, dreaming of a professional playing career with one of Spain’s giants. Not in his furthest stretches of imagination did he envisage that at the age of 27, he would become head of Performance, Strength and Conditioning at an Arabian second tier team.
Life has not been kind to Saudi’s fallen giants since the glory days of the eighties as the fans watched their beloved “Knights of the East” slip into mid-table mediocrity, then slowly find themselves dragged into repeated relegation battles before eventually succumbing to misery in 2014 to play in the less glamorous Saudi first division. Trips to the likes of Al-Hilal & Al-Ittihad, once title deciders, have now become occasional cup ties seeing Ettifaq reduced to mere minnows. But the club remains defiant and so does David Martinez who knows very well what is it like having to face adversity. “I stopped playing football at the early age of 20 when a severe injury ended my once promising career at Levante.” Recounts David. “It was difficult but life goes on.” With this spirit he picks himself up and draws himself a different career path. “I love football, so I knew I would still work in the football world. I decided to study Sports Science.” The Spaniard’s career would see him work at Villarreal as part of the backroom staff under current Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, before deciding to try his luck abroad with stints in the Far East, United States and for a brief period in Abu Dhabi before his move to Saudi Arabia’s Ettifaq came about this summer.

His decision to take up the post in the conservative Gulf Kingdom with a first division team intrigues me, but David has full faith in his decision. “At 27, I’m still young, and I have lived in many countries, so I have an open mind and a good football background. So I decided to take up the challenge to move to Saudi Arabia.” He adds citing his reasons to join Ettifaq, “They are a historic team, they are one of the first teams to win an international tournament for Saudi, but the team struggled because of financial problems”. Life in Saudi can be daunting for a newcomer, but having spent some time in the region has helped David adapt to life, “For me, it was not very dramatic. I lived in Dubai. It’s shocking if you’re coming straight from Spain and it is your first time out of your country. Being in Dubai made the transition a bit easier.” Explains David, “It’s more religiously strict here, the food is different, and people here work more at night than we are used to in Spain.” But he has no plans to let anything get in his way, “It’s all about your mentality, the power is in your mind! It’s important to travel to realize your true potential. You can study a lot, read a lot but you only find out how much you can achieve when you are living out of your comfort zone.”

After a historic elections campaign earlier this year, Dammam based businessman Khalid Al-Dabal took over as chairman of the club, following in the footsteps of his father, former club president Abdullah Al-Dabal. The ‘New Ettifaq’ list headed by Al-Dabal has an ambitious project to bring Ettifaq back to the top of Saudi football. The list boasts some of the city’s most influential industrialists and following their electoral success, they are already reshaping the club. Recruiting David was part of this transformation and he is not short of faith in the project, “The new president and the board are all young and have fresh and smart ideas, they want to create something different and do something big in this country. They brought me and another 2 coaches from Spain.”

New Ettifaq president Khalid Al Dabal has big plans for the team.

It is not all roses and butterflies, though, as the coach from Leon finds out. “The pace of doing things here is very slow, you always hear ‘Inshallah Bokra’, then you have to wait” sighs David as he remains optimistic “But they are ambitious, they want to do something different and that mentality is the most important thing. They are working hard not just in football, but also in terms of marketing, managing the team and also in the sporting side.”
The lack of resources in English, or for that matter Spanish, language was one of the main drivers behind the creation of Ahdaaf.me and David is adamant to the difficulties this challenge poses. “I try to understand the culture and also how people perceive Ettifaq and the team’s reputation, but it’s difficult because most of the information around is only in Arabic and in this aspect Ahdaaf has been great help.”
Comparing what it is like to work with Middle Eastern players compared to Europeans, David explains “First it is the mentality and quality: When you are living and breathing football 24/7 it makes a big difference. Here, it is not the same, some of the young kids have other priorities than football. The mentality, to be focused, organized, to work hard and come to training every day is not there sometimes.” As those youngsters grow into professional footballers, those differences become more evident “With European players, they learn a lot during their development as youngsters. So when they are professionals, they have already learned about these situations they face in the game and in life. But here, you have to teach them when they are already professional, which is more difficult.”
David started his career working with U-16s and U-18s at Villarreal but is now coaching first team players, “When you are working with young players, you have to take care of them. They are growing as a person, as a man and as a sportsman next. But when you are working with first team, results come first.” Fitness is a big part of this challenge, comments David. “Fitness is a big challenge, because of the body structures of the players. It’s different than in Europe and any league I have worked in. I think they haven’t spent enough time growing up to prepare physically and mentally to become professionals. When you are a footballer, you are a footballer 24/7, you have to take care of your sleep, diet and training sessions. Your body is the main tool when you’re a sportsman. Your body should be like a god!”
Back at Ettifaq, it’s midway through the Saudi season, The New Ettifaq project is in full fledge but results are yet to come with the team lingering in mid-table, 10 points behind the last promotion spot. David is of the opinion that the drastic changes being made are part of the problem now but will eventually deliver. “We are not performing very well at the moment, but the league is long. I think the players right now are confused, with all the changes, new president, new coach and so many changes mid-season. But we hope the results will come.” He adds about their objectives for the season, “I have been here for a couple of months, our target for this season is to create a proper structure in terms of coaching, a model for the youth academy to bring up a strong group of players to play for the first team in the next few years.” There is an economic sense to it as well, “If we can bring up players from the academy and create quality players from within, those players can then help us compete in the premier division. So we don’t have to invest heavily in buying players.”

As part of the team, the 27 years old is tasked with creating a brand of football and entrenching it in the youth products, “We are trying to create an identity for the team. What I want when people see a player, they recognize they came through Ettifaq, regardless of what team they are playing for.”
The staff enjoy the full backing of Al-Dabal & the board of directors, “The club are very supportive, they are always asking me what do I need to make things work, they are investing in the technologies we need but it’s step by step. It’s not going to happen overnight. Without resources we don’t have a chance to create something special.” David adds, “The most important thing in a “new club” like Ettifaq is the knowledge and the human resource, after that you have to invest in the right tools, material and technologies to develop their thoughts.”
Where next for David Martinez? “I am a Spanish coach and eventually, I would like to return to Spain.” David clearly has some unfinished business in La Liga. “At the moment, the job market there is difficult. It’s not the right time to return. For now, I will stay, abroad, build a name for myself and discover more. Right now, my mind is with Ettifaq. My life is football and football is around the world.”

FRIDAY WITH… ABU BAKR AL-MEL

Abed Aydin — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 11:29:52 +0000

Last year you played with Salam Zgharta alongside Lucas Galan and Omar Zeinnedine, before you transferred to your hometown club Tripoli FC in the summer. How did you adapt and adjust with your new team under Palestinian coach Ismael Qurtam?

Abu Bakr during his time at Salam Zgharta.

For me, last season was one of the best seasons in my footballing career and it was an honor to play alongside the Argentinian striker Lucas Galan, the battler Omar Zeinnedine and Omar Owayda as well but I’m currently delighted to play with my hometown team. I’m also very grateful to play with high level players under coach Ismael. The coach and I are optimistic, and we both believe that I’ll show my full potential with the upcoming games and hopefully I’ll be able to help the team with my goals.
Tripoli FC were able to win the Lebanese Cup against Lebanese Giants Nejmeh FC, but what’s your objective this season?

Alhamdulillah [with thanks to God] last year Tripoli FC won the Lebanese Cup against Nejmeh, 2-1, but what we hopefully are this year is that we’re going to be serious contenders for the league title despite the four draws at the beginning of the season. I believe that our current team has the proper and essential elements to reach our objective.
In your opinion, when are we going to see Abu Bakr Al-Mel with the National Team? Especially that our National team needs players of your mould.As for the Lebanese National Team, the National Team contains a lot of decent players in my position such as Hilal Al-Helwe, Hassan Moni Chaito and previously Feiz Shamsin. Therefore I have to train harder in order to reach a higher level so I can be able to leave my mark with the National Team and hopefully with the continuous support from the family, fans and teammates I’ll soon be playing for the Cedars.
Finally, do you have any last words for your fans?

Finally, I’d promise Tripoli FC fans that this year we’ll make them prouder than ever also I would like to thank my family for believing in me and I couldn’t be here without their support, and I’d just like to thank all the fans for the support either on the pitch or Social Media. A special greeting to the Ahdaaf ME Family, Thank you.

Thank you for you time Abu Bakr and we hope you make the National Team Soon.

FRIDAY WITH… FLORIN MOTROC

Hamoudi — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 10:42:23 +0000

Florin Motroc, a manager known for his time in the Middle East, spoke to us about his career, which saw him take underdogs to avoiding relegation or even win their domestic title. Now coaching Kazma SC in Kuwait, Motroc gives a very honest view to many situations he endured and enjoyed in the region.

Florin Motroc: a career of looking forward.

Florin Motroc spoke about his beginnings in the Middle East, where not much is found of on the Internet. Before his time in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain, Florin spent a period of his career in the UAE and Kuwait.

My career started in the UAE during the season of 2001-2002, as an assistant coach in Al-Shabab Dubai. We tried to help Al-Shabab to avoid relegation and in the end we succeeded. After I left, I also became an assistant coach to the same manager, Mr. Grigory Sichitiu (now manager of Dhofar in Oman) at Al-Jahra SC in Kuwait in 2003.

This was when Al-Jahra were in the second division and after I became an assistant coach, God gave me the chance to play for Al-Jahra in the space of 7 games to help them promote to the Premier League! After this short period when I was an assistant coach and a player, my head coach left Al-Jahra and they wanted me to stay as head coach. I stayed for one season with Al-Jahra in Premier League and we finished in 8th placed in 2003, from a total of 16 teams.

After that I left with my head coach again to Baniyas in the 2nd division of the UAE, where we promoted the team before leaving the club.

A 5-year hiatus in Romania didn’t stop him from returning to the region…

Motroc at Al-Taawon.

I came with Mr. Mutlescu to Saudi Arabia, Al-Taawon specifically, in 2010. We stayed together for 6 months, but after his departure I signed a 6-month contract myself to help the team (already in the relegation zone) fight off the threat of relegation. We finished in 7th place, one of Al-Taawon’s best performances in the Saudi League.

It was an amazing experience for me considering I was in the Gulf’s strongest league, and also my results in 5 months were amazing. From 11 games, from when I became head coach we won 6, drew 4 and lost 1 game. It was unbelievable! Al-Taawon proposed a new 2-year contract and I signed. But I suffered too much over the course of the summer, where I went to Romania and after a mere 2 weeks holiday I had to come back.

What are his thoughts on the quality and level of the leagues in the region?

For me the Saudi league is the most powerful league from the Gulf area! I hope I will come back to the Saudi League in future, but now I am very happy with my new club Kazma from Kuwait.

I remember when I was with Taawon many young players who play just few minutes against Al-Hilal, in Al-Ittihad, in Al-Nasr, and now they are strong players with a big personality. I give one example: No. 10 from Al-Nassr, the striker for the national team Al-Sahlawi! A very good player!

How long you will invest in football, in youth, in fields for training and football clubs and you try to build something. Then you are sure that in the future you will have good results. Saudi bring very good coaches for youth groups and this is good for developing football!

Shadi Abu Hashhash, a very good friend of Florin Motroc.

About players, yes now in Al-Taawon you can find only 2 players from my group of players when I was head coach there! It is Shadi Abu Hashhash and Badr Al-Khamis! 2 special players! 2 very beautiful characters!

Shadi Abu Hashhash.

I have a nice story about how I became head coach at Shabab Ordon. I left Al-Taawon in December 2011 when I resigned for a reason that I will not comment on now, and I returned to Romania. Shadi Abu Hashhash wanted me at Shabab Ordon, his mother club in Jordan, but this failed to materialize due to different reasons.

Yet in February 2012 I received one call from Shadi and he asked me if I want to go to and coach in Jordan with Shabab, because they were enduring a tough period with very bad results. He discussed this with the President. I replied with a yes. However after this moment he didn’t call me. But later I understood why he didn’t call me. The reason was that if they cancelled the contract with the actual coach they must pay some compensation and the club didn’t want that and they were obliged to continue with this coach.

Football without fans is like a wedding without music…

About fans? Ouf! The fans give the color to one league. The fans make the league more interesting, give adrenaline, give more motivation, and you feel that you play for something and the fans will reward you with their unconditional support! Each league has it’s special fans! At Al-Taawon where I was coach, we had special fans, they know and they understand football, you can’t cheat them, not at all! They appreciate and they respect you, even if you lose, because if you GIVE ALL that’s what matters! I FEEL THIS! In Jordan, unfortunately Shabab Ordon did not have as many fans and sometimes it is OK, because some players maybe with fans’ pressure, can’t give their all.

Al-Taawon fans. “I love you Al-Taawon”.

They like to play without this pressure and I was right and we won the league in Jordan, because some clubs’ (e.g. Wehdat and Faisaly) under fans’ pressure often make the wrongs steps and I waited for these wrong steps and I won it in the end!

In Bahrain, with Riffa SC, we have some fans but they didn’t come in big numbers to our games. They prefer to stay in TV and on social sites and comment and I don’t know why, because I dominated with Riffa SC in the Bahraini league from the beginning to the end! When I became CHAMPION, I saw how many fans Riffa have. This was because we celebrated with fans on streets in Riffa and with this occasion I saw how many fans this team had! Each country has its specific style. Everywhere is beautiful when you have results.

And I will finish with Ramtha fans. I was surprised when I signed with them, how loved this team can be in Jordan and not only there. I received hundreds of messages from all over the world to say that they support me and the team. This was one strong reason when I chose to sign with Ramtha, ONLY FANS! For the fans I refused many offers last season, and I lost good money , just to try to make all Ramtha fans happy, to fight for one trophy… but in the end we finished in 3rd place. I had big problems in the club, but I don’t want to comment about this. Fans from Ramtha deserve all the best! Maybe in future they will be very happy with the team results. I wish them all the best, they were AMAZING!

About fans in Kuwait, I was surprised because I see Kuwait National football Team have many fans. I see last 2 games in last 2 weeks in Kuwait (during the WCQ) and they had full stadiums. This is so nice, but unfortunately the results didn’t make them to go happy from the stadium in the end. I see Qadsia, Al-Arabi and Kuwait; those teams have a lot of fans! It is nice to play with fans, football without fans is like a wedding without…music. I hope to bring my fans from Kazma to our games and to make them happy with our results and with our football style.

The historical Jordanian League win with Shabab Ordon

Players were not paid in many months (me too) but because of them, because of a SPECIAL GROUP that I created in Shabab, because I understood the problems from president Salim Khair… we succeeded. I even had a moment in February 2013 when I was just a few steps away from coming back to Al-Taawon . But I couldn’t let go of Shabab. When I was No. 1 and I had the big chance to win my first title (which we did), I thanked God that I chose to stay!

In addition ALL of the players insisted that I stay with them, and I didn’t want to destroy what we created in a very difficult situation. This was not the same like 10 years back, when Shabab Ordon won first title with a lot of money and very good condition for all players. So in the end God helped us and I took the title and I can say also the Super Cup of Jordan is also my trophy because I leave Shabab just with one week before final, when I go to Bahrain! Shabab is like first love, first TITLE, the one you can never forget!

Tactically, what has Florin Motroc brought to the region?

In Shabab like in all teams where I coach I use 4-2-3-1 system. But sometimes I surprise my opponents, depending on the situation. This system is so flexible of you have intelligent players. Thank God I don’t have big problems and my results in last 4 years speak of my success. In Saudi I lost 1 game in first 6 months with the team, in Jordan with Shabab I lose only 1, in Bahrain 2 game and in Jordan second time with Ramtha I didn’t lose any one game first part of league, but in the end when start big problems in club, with salaries, I lost 6 games. It is a bad record for me. In 2 year and half I lose only 3 games ! And I don’t have special professional players, I don’t have special condition, but I create SPECIAL GROUPS!

I BUILD TEAMS!

The motivation for my players was that …. Never do I lie to them! I try every time to be very correct with them, to analyse together where we have to accept mistakes and to correct these mistakes. I try to understand all of my players and to have full confidence with one another! And it worked out, in the end.

Who are two special characters in Florin Motroc’s career?

Mirjalol Qosimov and Grigore Sichitiu. The latter is the one who took me when I was first assistant manager with Al-Shabab, and in Al-Jahra. While Qosimov was a player in Al-Shabab during 2002, and he is now a manager. Recently, he was coach of the Uzbekistan national team!

How do you look at football in the UAE today?

It has improved drastically, and especially if you can see what my friend Cosmin Olaroiu is doing! He has taken Al-Ahli to the Champions League Final this season and awaits a big match against Guangzhou. It is nice to see your countrymen doing these things.

Also, now if we look at how UAE football improved, Baniyas and Al-Shabab are amongst the top teams. I really hope to come back to the country one day, as I really like the football there. My one wish for this country is to see the fans always in the stadiums and not just from the TV!

FRIDAY WITH… OSAMA RASHID

Hassanane Balal — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 09:35:30 +0000

Nine games and two goals into the season and Osama Rashid, 23, is already making waves across the Portuguese Segunda Liga. The midfielder has settled in well at Sporting Clube Farense following his departure from Dutch side Alphense Boys last summer. As is the case with many Iraqi expat players, his story is a long and arduous one. Born in Kirkuk and raised in Holland before his move to Portugal, Osama offered a rare insight into his journey as we spoke. His humility and laidback demeanour were noticeably contrasting with his explosiveness on the pitch. Although shy and polite, the Iraqi international held nothing back in this exclusive interview.

You’ve made a very promising start to your SC Farense career. How happy have you been with your form?

“My form is getting better. At the start, it was obviously difficult due to the intensity of the league being a lot higher than Holland. It’s very physical here but I feel better now and I’m learning to adapt my game. I’ve been working hard at the gym too. More importantly, I’m actually playing matches. The more you play, the fitter and sharper you become, which is helping me get used to the standard of football here. The first four matches were a little bit difficult but it’s getting better. I have a good feeling about the way things are going so far.

We have a good team and are targeting a top five finish in the league – we want to push for promotion. We’ve signed a quality striker and this will be important for us, as the teams in the league are fairly similar in quality. The teams who score the most will be the ones who secure promotion”

How are you finding life in Portugal?

“I’m currently living with my Saudi teammate (Saeed Al Muwallad). The club have provided us with a really good apartment here in Faro. It’s going pretty well. I’m learning to cook for myself. Recently it was international break and we never had a club match, so I was able to go back to Holland and visit my family. I was so happy to eat Iraqi food again. I miss everything – all the foods! Fassoolia, bamya and dolma especially.

Rashid settles in Portugal.

Life here is very good – the weather is good. It’s going well. Most of the players here speak English so that’s helped me settle in a lot. Luckily, I speak a little bit of Spanish too, which is not too dissimilar to Portuguese.

I play on my PlayStation 4. I’m a big FIFA fan. FIFA over PES, for sure.”

Did you receive any other offers in the summer, and what attracted you to SC Farense?

“I received some offers but I chose SC Farence because the opportunities here are great. It’s important that I get to play a lot of matches and we have 46 league games this season. By playing these matches, I’ll grow as a player and improve myself. There were other offers from elsewhere but I wanted to base my decision on development rather than money. I also preferred staying in Europe instead of moving to the Gulf.”

What did you make of Iraq’s chances for World Cup qualification after their performances against Chinese Taipei and Thailand?

“I think we can make it. The performance against Chinese Taipei was good but the game against Thailand was less so. We threw it away in the last ten minutes. When I turned up to training, everyone was asking me how we managed to throw away the game after leading 2-0. I only managed to see the goals and not the full match because I had training.

We have a young talented group though. Ali Adnan has gone to Udinese, Dhurgham moved to Rizespor and Ahmed Yasin has moved too. Yaser Kasim and Justin Meram are doing well for their clubs. We have a good bunch of players. It’s important that we keep this group together.”

There were some complications in your recent call up to the Iraq squad. What happened?

“There was a slight muddle up unfortunately. Basil Gorgis called me explaining that Yahya Alwan wanted to take me as part of his squad. An invitation was sent to my club asking for my official release. I sent my passport to London to arrange a visa but was later told to withdraw my passport as the papers will be arranged via the Iranian Federation. I went to Lisbon by train to sort it out. On my way there I received a message asking me to book a flight to join the national team once the visa was sorted. It was a long three-hour journey to Lisbon but I sorted all out and contacted the FA asking them to book my ticket for the 31st of August as I had a match on the 30th. Everything seemed to be okay until a few days before I was supposed to leave, where I received my ticket and it was booked for the 30th August. I called the FA to book it on a more convenient time but was told I could only do this once the manager confirms he wants me in the squad. This was odd as all the paperwork had been sorted and SC Farense already received papers asking for my official release.”

The national team did exceptionally well under Radhi Shenaishil at the last Asian Cup. What did he excel at?

“Honestly, previously I always felt some tension between expats and the local players but when Radhi came in, it was different. From the first day, he sat us down and explained to everybody that there was no differences between us and that we were one. He made it clear that nobody was allowed to use the words ‘mughtarifeen’ anymore either – we were all the same.

He was very respectful to everybody there and everyone respected him too. The way he worked, but also as a person. For example, in the Asian Cup, the players had received bonuses after reaching the semis. He made sure all the other staff received their fair share too, such as those in charge of equipment, etc.

He was the main reason why we had so much success in the Asian Cup. Zico and him were the best coaches I played under for the national team.”

Gonzalo Rodriguez seems to have a very positive relationship with a lot of the players. How did you find working with him?

“He’s brilliant at what he does. He knows his stuff and has worked for enormous clubs like Liverpool and Valladolid. Fitness coaches … Very few footballers like them! But with him, it was really good. He makes it fun. He always tries being creative with his exercises so you’re never thinking: “I don’t want to do this again”. He’s very experienced, and polite.

Rodriguez formerly worked with Rafa Benitez at Liverpool.

Rodriguez (right) poses for a selfie with Dhurgham Ismail (left) and Younis Mahmoud (centre).

His best quality was that he knew exactly what to do differently for each player. Before the semis in the Asian Cup, he gave me a special nutritional regime to follow and explained to me how it’ll help due to my lack of match fitness. He knew what was needed to get the best out of all the players.”

How important are expat players to the future of Iraqi football?

“They’re the future of Iraq. I say this with respect to all the local players, who are of course fantastic too. It’s a sensitive topic to discuss sadly, as I don’t want this to come across as an attack on local players. Regardless, the expat players hold an important position in the future of Iraqi football. I hope the local players also make moves towards Europe and follow in the footsteps of Ali Adnan and Dhurgham Ismail.

It’s a tough challenge for local players to move to Europe for various reasons. The difference in cultures and lifestyle make it difficult. Aspects like dietary changes and discipline, intensity of training and leaving families behind all have a massive impact. The Iraqi league finishing so late into the European transfer window causes problems too as players are expected to jump straight into their new sides without resting. I can see more players moving to Turkey before taking a step elsewhere.

My advice to young expat footballers would be to stay in Europe and find a team where they will play matches. You need to be playing on a weekly basis to grab the attention of the national team. If you receive an opportunity to go on loan to a team that can guarantee you minutes on the pitch, then you should go ahead with it. You need the game time to progress and develop as a young footballer. “

Before you became a familiar face in Iraqi football, did it come as a shock to you just how big football is to Iraqis?

“The first time it really hit me was when we arrived in Sweden for our friendly match against Brazil. I must’ve been 19 or something. We arrived in the airport and it was completely full. The police were trying to control the fans but there were just too many Iraqis who had turned up to greet the players. The fans eventually forced their way into the baggage handling area. This one man, he must’ve been around fifty, he started hugging and kissing me. I was shocked and didn’t know what to do, or what was happening. I had goosebumps. It was the first time where I really appreciated just how big football was to Iraqi fans.

Iraqi fans are always messaging me on social media too. They’re very nice – at least I think they are. They always write to me in Arabic and I don’t read Arabic that well. Sometimes its better to just pretend they’re all saying nice stuff!

The pressure on you to win when playing for Iraq is immense. 35 million people who all expect you to win and perform well. For me though, playing for your country is the best feeling. It’s completely different to club football. International football is far more tactical too.”

Away from the football pitch, what’s been your best experience so far with the Iraqi national team?

“That match against Brazil was an amazing experience and is up there with some of my best footballing memories. My number one memory however is training with Zico. This one time, he joined in with us in the training session and made around one hundred crosses. Every single cross landed perfectly on my chest. I’ve never seen someone do anything like this before. It was amazing.”

Do you have any memories of Iraq’s Asian Cup win in 2007?

“Yeah, of course. I remember the final – the goal – Younis Mahmoud. I went with my brother to celebrate with the other Iraqis in Holland. I remember it well. It was amazing seeing them win, and then a few years later I was playing with the same players. It was an honour playing alongside the likes of Basim Abbas, Nashat Akram and Younis. Just training with them everyday – I was very proud. Nashat is the best player I’ve played with. He was a great personality but the level of control he had on the pitch was amazing. Everything about him.”

What was it like featuring in arguably the greatest Asian Cup match ever against Iran in 2015?

“I think I almost had a heart attack! It was unbelievable. I didn’t play in that match so I was watching from the bench. It was very hard to watch – we were losing initially 1-0, then 1-1, then 2-1 for us, and it was in the last second they equalised for 3-3. After they scored, I couldn’t believe it. I remember thinking “this can’t be happening”.

Afterwards, it went to penalties, which is different. Our player advantage didn’t matter and it was 50:50 again. After we won it on penalties, I remember the entire stadium exploding – loads of fans bursting into tears. It was amazing. We had a small party with the fans afterwards too. It’s the craziest match I’ve ever been part of.

The Asian Cup in Australia was a great experience. I couldn’t believe how many Iraqis were living there and how far people had travelled to see us. The fans were great and followed us everywhere, even outside the stadium. The atmosphere was good. It was my first big tournament too. This was different to anything I’ve done.”

On the pitch, where does the Iraq team need to improve?

“We need to hold onto the ball better and shift away from launching the ball from defence when under pressure. Instead, we have to have more control on the ball and transition the ball better from defence to midfield. Play through the middle more.

Do you have any childhood memories of living in Iraq?

“When I was three years old, there was an ice-cream truck driving around our area. I wanted to buy some and I asked my dad for money. I started running after the truck but I ran out barefoot, without my ni3al (sandles). There was some glass all over the floor, which I didn’t see. I ran over it and my feet were bleeding badly. I’m okay now though!

Osama Rashid 8.

More recently, I remember going back three years after the war to visit my family and cousins. It was nice to see that they were happy. Looking back, I have only good memories.”

Growing up, did you have any footballing role models, or players that you tried to base your game on?

“When I was younger, from about seven years old, it was Juninho Pernambucano. I didn’t try basing my game on him but I loved watching him play. His position on the pitch, the way he played the game without any worries, obviously his freekicks and just how calm he was. You never see him fighting or panicking on the ball.”

Who is the best player you’ve played against and which famous players have you swapped shirts with?

“The Ramires shirt is my favourite, maybe. No! It’s my Mario Götze shirt from the European Champion U17 (representing Holland as a youth player). I also have a Jack Wilshire shirt. The Götze shirt is my favourite though.

Osama Rashid turns away from David Luiz.

The best player I’ve played against is Neymar.”

If you can change anything in your career, what would it be?

“After my contract ended with Feyenoord, I moved to Den Bosch. I panicked with my decision and decided too quickly. I probably should have gone to another club instead. It was a tough period for me psychologically and I’d pretty much lost all my passion for football.”

Real Madrid or Barcelona?

“I like Real Madrid more than Barcelona. My dream move would be to Real Madrid.”

Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

“When I walk onto the pitch, I have to walk on with my right foot first. Of course, before the game I pray too.”

On the pitch, how are your skills best utilised?

“Quick, offensive football in a 4-3-3 formation.”

What do you think the next step in your career will be?

“I don’t know right now. My ambition is to do well in Portugal first and foremost. I’d love to eventually move to England. I’d love to play for Manchester United.”

If you weren’t a footballer, what would you be doing for a living now?

“I’ve finished my bachelor degree in Sports Marketing last year. I’d imagine it would be something related to this”

I love football because…

“I love football because it’s the greatest thing ever. Football brings peace – as Iraqis, we know that better than anybody. We saw it when we won the Asian Cup in 2007.”

Younis Mahmoud holds the AFC Asian Cup on a historic night in ’07.

Finally, is there anything you’d like to tell the Iraqi jumhoor?

“I’d just like to thank all the fans for the support they always show me. They’re always messaging me on social media. I also hope that the Iraqi fans help Yaser Kasim after the recent events and not blame him. I think he’ll come back to the national team, so we should be patient. For sure, he’ll be back. I’m a good friend with Yaser (Kasim) but I only see him at games with the national team. Hopefully I’ll come to London soon and pay him a visit.”

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Osama Rashid for taking time out to discuss all these topics so thoroughly and honestly with me. You can find him on Twitter @OsamaRashid92 and on Instagram @OsamaRashid8. Find me on Twitter too @Nashat_Hassan. Thanks for reading.

FRIDAY WITH… HOSSEIN MORADMAND

Sina Saemian — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 11:55:20 +0000

This week, Sina Saemian, caught up with Iran Under-23s international, Hossein Moradmand, and spoke to him at length about various issues. Hossein is a centre back who currently plays for Padideh Mashhad in the Persian Gulf Pro League. He is a graduate of the Sepahan academy and made several appearances for the club in the last few years. After winning the league title with Sepahan, he decided his time in Esfahan was over and began a new challenge with Padideh, in search of regular football.

Firstly tell us about your current situation. You were released by Sepahan during the summer and recently signed for Padideh. Why did you choose Padideh? Did you have any other offers?

Thank god my current situation is very good, I played for Sepahan 3-4 years but I didn’t get too many opportunities. I sat down and thought about it and I came to the conclusion that I may have to leave to play regular football. After speaking to my agent, I chose Padideh and I’m very happy to be here.

You were born in Esfahan, lived there all your life and came through the Sepahan academy and went on to play for their first team. How did it feel to win the league title with your local club? Did you expect to play more games than you did?

Well, it was very pleasant for me. I was at the Sepahan academy since I was a child, and I was used to the feeling of winning honours because even in grassroots at the youth academy we always won our respective leagues and I can’t remember a season when we weren’t champions or 2^nd at least. Of course that was carried on into the senior team too, we won the Hazfi Cup too, so at such a young age I’ve experienced winning 2 or 3 major trophies with Sepahan and everything was great. Yes I loved to carry on playing at Sepahan but for reasons I did not get enough regular games, and I won’t really go into too much details about the reasons.

How was the atmosphere around the team? Not many people expected you to become champions of Iran, with Naft and Tractor Sazi leading the table most of the season. Was it a surprise for you too or did you genuinely believe you could become champions?

That’s right, few people believed we can win the league, but we just concentrated on ourselves and we said we have to win the last 5-6 games to have the chance to become champions, thank god we managed to win those games and won the league title.

Many people praise Zlatko Kranjcar, who managed Sepahan between 2011 to 2014, for giving first team opportunities to many young academy graduates such as yourself, Mehdi Sharifi and Ali Karimi. Do you think we need more similar coaches who are willing to put more faith in youngsters?

Well, I think I have to explain a few things about that. The reason why so many of us youngsters got opportunities in the first team was somewhat forced. Back then our strike force had some problems, Mohammad Gholami wasn’t in form, Xevahir Sukaj had an injury as did Arash Afshin, so Mehdi Sharifi was promoted to the first team and thankfully he did extremely well. That was also the case with Ali Karimi too, an injury to Moharram Navidkia and the departure of Mojtaba Jabbari, opened up an space for Ali Karimi and thank god he performed really well. And I also came in and played a few games and then dropped for some reason. But in terms of Zlatko Kranjcar, he is really a great manager and we shouldn’t have let him go, or at the least should have respected him after his departure. There was, wrongly, a lot of controversy created for him in Iran after his departure, but he is a great manager in technical terms and he also had a great attitude and behaviour. We certainly do need more similar managers in Iran.

How would you evaluate your performances so far this season? Many people compare you to your former teammate and veteran defender, Hadi Aghili. Do you think these comparisons are justified or your style is very different to Aghili’s?

Thankfully when I arrived in Padideh, I received a lot more first team opportunities. Well, generally I don’t think it is right to compare people but I really like Hadi Aghili, I like his football and he behaves appropriately on and off the pitch as I spent everyday for 2-3 years with him at training, and he is one of the better players of Iranian football. But I don’t think comparing is right even if some parts of our game is similar.

How is it working with you current manager at Padideh, Mohammadreza Mohajeri? In your opinion, what is the biggest difference between Padideh and Sepahan in tactical and training side of things?

Working with him is really great, and I’ve learned a lot from him in these 4-5 weeks that he’s been selecting me. The biggest difference between Padideh and Sepahan is mainly in the mentality, character and wanting to win. From the players, the staff to the board of directors, the difference is the belief and mentality that I want to win, the hunger and desire to win the league. Of course there are other factors such as a better pitch and better facilities but mentality is the main criteria.

You’ve had a decent start to the season, a win against Tractor Sazi with a clean sheet, a draw against Persepolis away from home. What targets has Mohajeri set for you as a team? How would you rate the team’s potential?

So far this season we’ve had an average start, I can’t say the results are great or terrible. But, our manager is really trying hard to give us a winning mentality and teach us to want to win games and believe in ourselves, that applies to everyone, from players to the staff. I think once that desire and winning mentality really kicks into the team then we have a great potential. I know it may sound ridiculous but with the right character and hunger to win, I think we can be one of the top 4 teams in the league this season. We have some great players, players who have played in the national team and some talented young players so we have a huge potential.

You are currently on a training camp with the Iran U-23 national team in Holland, how has the camp been so far? Do you this Holland camp can help on your qualification journey to the 2016 Rio Olympics?

Currently I am with the under 23s in a very very good training camp in Holland, we can play some good games with the top Dutch sides. Yesterday we had a good friendly against one of the local clubs whom we beat 4-0. This is a great opportunity for this group of players to become coherent and prepare ourselves for the west Asian games which is coming up and we are currently concentrating on getting good results in that competition.

Iran U-23s are currently 2^nd in their qualification group, how would you describe your results so far in the campaign? Do you think with this current team, and in comparison to other teams in our group, you can qualify for the Olympics as the top team in the group?

We can definitely reach the Olympics with this team. The potential and the quality in this team is very very high. We just need to work on our collective game so we can play as a team

There has been a lot of criticism aimed at the current coaching staff of Iran U-23s, how is it working with Mohammad Khakpour? Do you think the current staff has what it takes to lead this team to the Olympics?

Unfortunately in Iran it’s become a norm that whenever a manager or a coach is appointed as national team manager, there are people who don’t agree with the appointment and some that are in favour of the new coach. Mostly are waiting for the team to get disappointing results so they can give interviews and criticise the coach. These things are everywhere, but the main and most important thing here is to help each other, set our hearts on one target and help this team to reach the Olympics for the first time in 4 decades. We should not create division into the team, we should all help each other to reach our target.

Where do you see your own future? Do you have plans of moving to Europe and developing your career there, or are you comfortable to carry on playing in Iran?

I wanted to move to Europe last year, I even had an offer from a Turkish club and I really liked to come to Europe but it couldn’t happen, so I decided to play in Iran for one more year. After this year, we will see what comes up depending on the offers that come in but I really relish the move to Europe. Yes, I’m young I really want to go to Europe and play my football there so I can come back and help my country and our national team.

And lastly, it is considered a dream for every footballer to play for his country, do you believe you can make your way to the senior team soon and help the team qualify for the 2018 World Cup?

That’s definitely true, god willing I will work my hardest so that I can hopefully be a part of the Iran team that reaches the 2018 world cup, and be a part of my country’s defensive line for many years to come. Football is unpredictable and you never know what will happen but I will continue to work hard.

FRIDAY WITH… RAFAT MOHAMMED

Hamoudi — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 16:00:54 +0000

A story filled with trophies, professionalism and achievement, Rafat Mohammed now leads Al-Wahda Damascus as manager for the first time. Still only 38 years old, the bright tactician is revered across Syria as the catalyst to their footballing development in the future. Let’s go back to the start, where Mohammed started. Was he a ‘Wahdawi’ through and through? Well, “as a player, it all started off at Al-Jaish in the youth or age groups as we call them in Arabic.”

The most successful team in Syria, “The Army” in English, was the birthplace of Rafat Mohammed’s footballing career, as a right back. A right back known for his excellent fitness levels and blistering speed. “Moving onwards, I was on the end of a transfer to Al-Wahda, of course where I am at now.” The club where he spent most of his career at, the club where he manages now and clearly – the club he loves. Mohammed, though, had a different pathway to success. Just after his move to Al-Wahda he had his first professional adventure. Was it in neighbouring countries like Jordan and Lebanon? Not yet, though bizarrely, Mohammed ended up in Chernomorets Odessa of Ukraine! “The first of my two professional experiences was in Ukraine with Chernomorets” a deal worth reportedly $20,000 at the time (according to inflation calculators, at around $27,500 in today’s world of football). “Ukraine made me grow as a player, and I am indebted to the club for the experience and welcome they gave me”.

Rafat Mohammed, now manager of Al-Wahda Damascus.

Little is known in the Arabic media of his experience during that time besides the financial details, but he explains his feelings and the benefits of that move to us. “Realistically, with the tight financial situation, the dream is to become a professional. The benefits were extremely clear, first of all on a financial level. The earnings in Syria were no where near the reality in Ukraine. Next is the technical level, we played with better footballers there and the experience that comes with it is invaluable.” That was not his only stop, though.

Rafat Mohammed was part of a successful time in Syria no doubt, as he won the Cup in 2002-03 and the league title in the season that followed. (Cup title win shown in the video below, Al-Wahda were in orange with Rafat at right back).

To score a goal in one of the most entertaining finals in history, was definitely an honour for Rafat Mohammed. Subsequently involved in a brilliant moment in the league win where thousands of Al-Wahda fans gathered in basketball stadiums, cafes and streets watching the game on the big screens in as early as 2004. Yet arguably the worst moment of his career came in that season too, as Al-Wahda lost on away goals to Rafat’s former club Al-Jaish in the AFC Cup Final (2004) on a rainy night in Damascus. “It was the best match in my footballing career, without a shadow of a doubt. My header topped it off.”

Tishreen Stadium.

That still wasn’t Rafat’s biggest moment. “I received an offer from a club called Tchilden, and another from the now wealthy Manchester City back in around 2004. I ended buying tickets and getting prepared for what was going to be a big move – all Syrian and Arabic media had reported the news as a confirmed deal, done and dusted, however – I ended up failing to travel to Manchester for reasons that I’d like to keep private. The chance to go in trial in England didn’t work out.” A probable move of dreams and to be written in the history books for Syria, it wasn’t meant to be, and Rafat stayed at Al-Wahda until 2006 where he became a professional at Shabab Al-Ordon in Jordan.

Rafat with Shabab Ordon.

“It was an amazing journey, a journey filled with success and trophies which is an absolute dream for any football player. The AFC Cup that I failed to win with Al-Wahda, I won with Shabab Al-Ordon against Jordanian giants Al-Faisaly. We even won more trophies in the Jordanian league – where I was also part of a team that won their respective league for the first time ever – the Jordanian Cup and the Jordanian Super Cup. It was definitely an eventful few years. The technical level was also better than Syria too. It was such a vital moment under my career due to being coached by captain Nizar Mahrous, a fellow Syrian footballer and then our manager. He also trained me during my early years in football with Al-Wahda.”

He retired in 2013, stating that “coaching has always been my dream. It’s just like that for footballers. If he wants to continue in the footballing scene, then coaching is the perfect job for the footballer. Asked about his future goals, “to win that AFC Cup that I never won at Al-Wahda. A continental achievement.” And despite a poor return in the 2014 edition, the 2015 edition saw Al-Wahda reach the last 16 only to heartbreakingly lose out on penalties in Tajikistan to Istiklol.

Finally, I asked arguably the most important question. Where is the level of the Syrian league right now under the crisis? “Definitely, the level has lowered due to refugees who left the country and the new rule that doesn’t allow any team to buy or contract with any foreign player. Add that to the poor league schedule that sometimes sees us play under lots of pressure with game after game, that affects the technical level of the play extensively. Fans have stopped coming to games too, except for Al-Wahda. 10,000 fans came to our semi-final match as a huge example. This is the only good thing left of the league.”

Al-Wahda also won the league in 2014 to a huge attendance:

A revered player and now coach, arguably the best right back in Al-Wahda history – Rafat Mohammad’s story has been a wonderful ride.

FRIDAY WITH… BORIS KABI

Hamoudi — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 15:48:11 +0000

Boris Kabi, the lower league star in the UAE. Entering his 6th season in the Gulf nation albeit with a new club, Boris Kabi has become a familiar name across Emirati fans’ lips, whether they are supporters of clubs based in the depths of the country near Ajman, Dibba and Ras Al-Khaimah or the richer teams located in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. “It first occurred, my move to the UAE, when my agent took notice of the teams in the country while I was at Olympic Safi [Morocco]”, the year that culminated in the professionalism of the now controversially named Arabian Gulf League. “Back then, I said yes without hesitation… and to this day, I have no regrets”.

Boris Kabi in Ajman colours.

Kabi is clearly immersed in the league’s level of play, however it is not just the football that catches his eye. “We are offered a beautiful living environment” Kabi continues, “my family is safe, the people are extremely respectful and you simply cannot ask for more”. Four of his five Emirati seasons were situated in the one-club city of Ajman, where he scored 67 league goals in 114 games. The leading goalscorer, the foreigner and most importantly the captain. “As a foreigner, the extra pressure goes on you. You have to be 200% at all times, ready for the challenges ahead” Kabi explained, “that is without me speaking about my captain’s armband, where the pressure doubled as I wore it – an honour for years.”

Boris Kabi completed his signing for Dibba Al-Fujairah in late July 2015, the newly promoted club and Champions of the UAE First Division despite challenges from the legendary Al-Shaab team and the fairly bigger Dubai Club. Kabi unfortunately was on the end of a tough relegation in 2014/15 where Ajman lost a 3-1 lead to Al-Wasl in the second to last game of the season. Not only that, but Ajman missed a 2-on-1 chance in the 89th minute, a goal that could have helped them avoid relegation. Nevertheless, Boris bounced back and now joins Bilal Najjarine and Bakare Kone as foreigners under the revered German-Lebanese manager Theo Bucker.

Boris Kabi signs for Dibba Al-Fujairah.

Foreigners, he says, haven’t helped each other out as much between the clubs. This is different to what Abdoulaye Kanoute said about Lebanon where he befriended African footballers from clubs on the other side of the nation to help acclimatising to the surroundings. Kabi, on the other hand, says that “Saying foreigners are a helping hand to each other is saying a lot,” he expressed. However “I exchanged good time with Diaky Ibrahim (Al-Ain), Boubacar Sanogo (Fujairah) and a certain Simon Feindouno of Kalba. Driss Fettouhi who was on my team was the player I befriended the most”.