Member of the Transitional Committee in the Football Association, head of the National Teams and Technical Affairs Committee, Ghanem Al-Hajri, revealed that «the former coach of the team, Mahdi Ali, as well as the current coach of the Sharjah team, Abdulaziz Al-Anbari, and the former coach of Al Ain and Al-Ahly youth, Roman Cosmin, and also the former Al Ain coach, the Croatian Zoran, among the names nominated to take over the task of training white.
Al-Hajri said that they are not in a hurry to announce the new coach, especially since there is time before the month of March next, the date for the World Cup qualifiers resuming, noting that the committee has set specific conditions and specifications for the candidate coach to meet. This came during the press conference of the committee in its first meeting with its new formation, at the headquarters of the Football Association, yesterday. Al-Hajri said that the specifications for the new coach should be appropriate, a well-known speaker who speaks the English language, an ambitious coach with achievements, and is able to lead the team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, along with his knowledge of the Gulf, Emirati and Asian football, and a knowledge of the Emirati player's mentality.
He said that the priority now is to prepare the next Olympic team for the Asian finals next January in Thailand, which qualifies for the Tokyo Olympics.
He said: “In Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Transitional Committee, we have seen positive and ambitious treatment of some of the challenges that have faced UAE football, and the next will be more beautiful and better.”
Al-Hajri stressed that the advancement of Emirati football is the responsibility of everyone, especially the media, which he described as a pivotal player in the process of advancing UAE football. Al-Hajri stressed: We hope that everyone will be aware of the Olympic mission, in order to achieve a dream that entices Emirates Ball to reach the Olympic Games. Therefore, we need everyone to support this team and the technical and administrative staff, and we also look forward to the cooperation of the clubs.
And about the possibility of programming the league matches to make way for the Olympic, he said: «We seek in this regard to reach a consensus with the clubs, as well as with the League of Professionals, and find a solution agreed upon by all.»
It is worth mentioning that the National Teams and Technical Affairs Committee was formed under the chairmanship of Al-Hajri, and the membership of Hamid Ahmed Al Tayer, Ali Hamad Al Badawi, Issa Mir Abdul Rahman and Ahmed Yousef Bin Darwish.
Specific specifications for the next coach:
He must be of appropriate age.
■ He has accomplishments, ambition and speaks English.
Capable of leading the national team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
Great knowledge of Emirati, Gulf and Asian football and the mentality of the Emirati player.