Prandelli believes Al Nasr can turn the corner
dubai — Despite a good start to life with Al Nasr, it has been anything but smooth from thereon, for Cesare Prandelli. The former Italy coach has come to realise the difficulties that he faces in the Arabian Gulf League but believes that Al Nasr can turn the corner.
Prandelli began his reign at Al Nasr with a 3-0 victory over Ajman in the Arabian Gulf Cup. But the former Fiorentina coach is yet to get the sweet taste of a first win in the Arabian Gulf League. Al Nasr were involved in a goalless stalemate with Sharjah and then went on to lose 2-1 to pace setters Al Wahda.
Up next is a difficult test away at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, against defending champions Al Jazira. There is a bit of pressure on Prandelli to deliver, as he tries his resurrect his career after under-whelming spells with Turkish side Galatasaray and La Liga club Valencia. Prandelli felt sorry for his countryman Carlo Ancelotti, who was axed by Bayern Munich on Thursday, and said that the harsh reality of football is that it is the coach who has to take the blame. The 60-year-old also felt that Al Nasr can rebound from this and achieve greater things.
“I’m very sorry for Carlo because he’s a friend. Unfortunately, the rule of football is that the coach is paying for everything that is happening. And especially at the beginning of the season, there are hundreds of difficulties like players that are coming back from injuries, players who are not part of the camp and joining later. So, there are more and more pressures but in the end, it is always the coach who is paying for everything,” Prandelli said at his prematch press briefing.
“Every League has its own difficulties so, I’m not surprised. What we have to do is try to understand what are the difficulties of everything in the local football and which are the weak points of football in this League, to try to take advantage. So, it is a very competitive League and every game can end with the three possible results. As far as our team is concerned, we have to keep working hard like we are doing and never put our heads down because I’m convinced that we can reach important achievements,” he added.
Prandelli also said that they shouldn’t dwell on the past and look ahead. “Every game has its own history and if you are not prepared for the game, then you can have difficulties. They lost the last game and we also lost the last game even though we know that we didn’t deserve to lose. We shouldn’t think about the past, about the previous loss. We should go full speed into the game, it’s a new game, it’s a new history, it’s a new chapter,” said Prandelli.
“I believe that both teams are teams that want to play football and try to win. Both are teams with a lot of pride, with a strong character, who always want to improve and impose their game. I believe it will be a hard and difficult game but, at the same time, very interesting,” he added.
Prandelli also backed his frontman Wanderley to come good after a barren run. The striker is yet to score in the League after scoring one in the Arabian Gulf Cup.
“Wanderley is the kind of player with a strong character and a very strong personality. These kind of moments are normal in the career of a forward. Let’s remember that he is coming from a few months without playing competitive football.
So, it is the role of the team, the rest of the squad to help him on the pitch by attacking depth and creating more chances for him. He is not the kind of player who will take the ball from our goalkeeper and dribble 10 players but he is the kind of player who will be scoring from the chances we create for him,” Prandelli said.
james@khaleejtimes.com