ZACCHERONI CONFIDENT UAE CAN MAKE STRONG START TO GULF CUP CAMPAIGN
UAE begin challenge tonight in Kuwait City against Oman as they seek to build towards hosting 2019 Asian Cup
Alberto Zaccheroni is relishing the challenge of leading the UAE in their first tournament under his leadership as they look to get their campaign at the Gulf Cup off to a winning start tonight against Oman.
The tournament was moved to Kuwait this month, after being initially scheduled to be held in Qatar, following the country’s two-year ban from participating in international football due to government interference being lifted.
The fixtures for the event were only finally confirmed at the start of the week, and the UAE are in Group A along with Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Zaccheroni, who took charge in October, explained the short notice to prepare the squad as “challenging”.
But he said he was happy to have some competitive games from which to assess his squad with one eye to the 2019 Asian Cup, which the UAE are host nation of.
“We have played three friendlies but friendlies remain as friendlies,” the Italian said yesterday.
“In the friendlies, you learn a few things about the players, their skills, the combinations and correct a few mistakes, but they really aren’t challenges for a team. I love the challenges and I love the pressure.
“I’m really happy to take on the challenge of playing in a tournament, especially as we had to prepare at short notice.”
Zaccheroni’s first game in charge ended in defeat to Haiti 1-0 at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on November 11 but they emerged winners over Uzbekistan 1-0 four days later.
In their most recent outing, Zaccheroni’s men overcame Iraq 1-0 in Dubai four days ago.
“Our focus in the Gulf Cup is the first game,” said the former Japan manager, who has also been in charge of Lazio, Juventus and Inter Milan in Italy. “I look at Omani team as strong with some excellent players. So are the other two, which means we are in a very tough group.
“However, this tournament is an opportunity to learn about the capabilities of the players and their readiness for the official matches, because the matches will be very different from the friendly matches we played.
“I respect every team in the competition but at the same time we will fight to win all games. Our team is ready for the challenge. I’m very confident my team can deliver.”
It is not all plain sailing for Zaccheroni as he has to deal with the fitness issues of his key forwards Ali Mabkhout and Ahmed Khalil, and goalkeeper Khalid Eisa, who all missed the team’s training session on Wednesday with various ailments.
“We are monitoring their progress with the medical staff and with time until the game on Friday we are hopeful of their availability,” Zaccheroni said.
Abdulla Al Junaibi, vice president of the UAE Football Association, said they were treating the regional tournament as part of their preparations for the Asian Cup 2019 as well.
“We are serious on winning the Gulf Cup but it’s also an opportunity for our new technical staff to identify the players, the combinations better, and implement their tactical ploys for the next phase of our preparation,” Al Junaibi explained. “The morale of our players is at the best and there is a real desire from them to play true to their potentials and win the title.
“The players were also happy the Gulf Cup is taking place.”
The UAE had been slated to play Algeria and Ecuador.
Two friendlies this month to help Alberto Zaccheroni get to know better his team.
Appointed in October, the Italian has had little time with his new side, chiefly a two-week camp during the most recent international break.
There, he oversaw a 1-0 friendly defeat to Haiti and a 1-0 victory against Uzbekistan.
Matches this month against Algeria and Ecuador were not ideal, but they provided decent opposition in less-thandecent circumstances.
It was almost a year out to the next Asian Cup – the tournament takes place in the Emirates in early 2019 – and the hosts need to ramp up preparations. Zaccheroni needed it. Then the Gulf Cup reverted to Kuwait and the UAE were handed a significant boost.
Algeria and Ecuador became Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, initially at least, with the national team expected to progress from Group A, alongside the albeit-depleted Saudis.
Crucially, friendly matches became competitive fixtures.
Should the UAE advance, they could meet in the last four Iraq or Bahrain, or Qatar, or Yemen, although for now they are wise to preach focus tonight’s campaign-opener against Oman.
Preparations have been far from perfect, what with participation confirmed only last week.
Al Jazira’s players joined the squad not long before the group set off for Kuwait, delayed as they recovered from their Fifa Club World Cup commitments.
Omar Abdulrahman is feeling his way back from another injury.
Ahmed Khalil, meanwhile, continues to be assessed given he has not played for club or country since late September.
However, no matter how hastily arranged, the Gulf Cup should be embraced.
It is an unexpected boost as it provides Zaccheroni a credible tournament that he can use to both experiment with and examine the resources at his disposal.
The squad include a number of experienced players in Ismail Ahmed, Mohanad Salem, Abdulrahman, Ali Mabkhout.
They also have a selection of largely untried internationals, among them Mohammed Al Attas, Ahmed Malalla, Rayan Yaslam and Ali Salmeen.
Malalla scored the only goal in the UAE’s friendly victory against Iraq in Dubai on Sunday.
Now, though, Zaccheroni has a serious competition to test his team.
He can witness his players perform under pressure, how they adapt to tournament football, and how quickly they can implement the ideas and the philosophy of a third manager since March.
Given its composition, the Gulf Cup is a keenlycontested event, made up of derby matches and genuine regional rivalry.
Saudi Arabia comprise what is effectively a “B” squad, but those chosen for Kuwait have next summer’s World Cup as incentive to excel.
Kuwait may be some way short of the teams that won nine of the first 14 titles – they have 10 in all – but as hosts they undoubtedly have a point to prove.
That resolve is only strengthened by their recent suspension by Fifa and subsequent reprieve.
As for Oman, Zaccheroni has been careful to highlight their experienced squad and time-served coaching staff as reason not to underestimate them.
Predictably, the former Japan manager said reaching the final on January 5 constitutes is the primary objective.
Yet he emphasised that the ultimate target remains Asian Cup 2019. Gulf Cup 2017, for some time not even on his radar, represents a real opportunity to lay legitimate groundwork.
Success does not have to be a third regional crown, although the UAE are right to enter the tournament intent on emulating those celebrated sides of 2007 and 2013.
To some degree, success is simply having a competitive tournament for Zaccheroni to put in place foundations for the greater assignment to come.
Whatever happens in Kuwait these next two weeks, Zaccheroni’s UAE should be all the better for it.