Sharjah vs. Kalba: Press conference ahead of ADNOC League match
Cosmin Olaroiu: Facing a strong and organised team
Coach Cosmin Olaroiu highlighted the strength of Kalba Club, noting their tactical organization and skilled players, particularly Iranian forward Mehdi Qaedi. Cosmin emphasized that every match is vital, likening it to a final, and urged the team to stay focused. He also mentioned absences, including defender Shaheen Abdul Rahman, and stressed that pressure is natural in football, motivating the team to excel. On recent awards, he expressed pride but recognized they come with added responsibility.
Majid Rashid: Team spirit and fan support
Midfielder Majid Rashid agreed with the coach on the match's difficulty but assured that the team is well-prepared and focused on maintaining strong performance. He urged fans to support the team in the stands, acknowledging their vital role in boosting morale and helping secure victories.
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Khaleej Times
12 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE remain upbeat as battle for Fifa World Cup berth continues
The UAE will be aiming to lock down third spot when they travel to face Kyrgyzstan in their final Group A World Cup qualifying match (5:45 pm UAE Time) on Tuesday. Thursday's goalless draw with Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi ended UAE's hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup and they side sit only a point ahead of Qatar, with both having sealed their places in the fourth round. Cosmin Olaroiu would have known before the tie against Uzbekistan that automatic qualification was going to be a long shot but the newly appointed head coach saw positives in the match and is already preparing for the next round. "You have a once in a lifetime chance,' Olaroiu said. 'I don't think you should talk about motivation as much as preparation. That is the most important thing. Now is the end of the season, we have a break, then the clubs will start their preparations. 'In September, there is (an international) break and we will have some friendly games. The preparation is very, very important because the work the clubs will do now will influence it.' So can the UAE still earn an automatic berth at the 2026 World Cup? Yes, the UAE still have a chance. The six teams in the fourth round will be divided into two groups of three teams. The winners of each group will earn the last two direct slots for the World Cup, while the two runners-up teams will be locked in a playoff battle. So the UAE need to win their group in the fourth round to qualify directly for the World Cup. But if they fail to win their group and finish second, they will play the runners-up team from the other group in a playoff. The winner of the playoff will then advance to an inter-confederation playoff tournament featuring five other teams for the final two slots in the World Cup. Meanwhile, Australia's Connor Metcalfe has warned his teammates to avoid reacting to Saudi Arabia's gamesmanship when the nations face off in Jeddah on Tuesday with automatic qualification for next year's World Cup finals on the line. Tony Popovic's outfit go into the meeting at the King Abdullah Sports City with one foot on the plane to North America after a 1-0 win over Japan on Thursday bought the Socceroos breathing room in their quest for a place at the finals. Despite that advantage, Metcalfe has sought to ensure the Australians do not allow their focus to slip ahead of a crucial 90 minutes that will be played out in front of more than 50,000 fans and in stifling heat. "There's going to be a lot of diving, a lot of acting, but it's about just blocking the noise out, focusing on ourselves and doing the best we can," said the St. Pauli midfielder. "You can't get affected by any of it, because if you get affected by any of their little games or noise or whatever it is, then it's just going to affect the game, and they're going to get that little advantage over you." Australia hold a three point lead over Herve Renard's side and a large enough goal difference to leave the Saudis needing to win by five goals to climb into second and claim the last automatic berth from the current phase of Asian preliminaries. Japan have already secured top spot in Group C while Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea and Jordan have taken the other berths available to Asian nations at the expanded World Cup from the third phase of qualifying. A further two spots will be up for grabs from a fourth round of qualifiers to be played in October. Anything other than a significant win over the Australians would see Saudi Arabia finish third in Group C and enter that next phase, where they would join the UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Indonesia. Also battling for a place in the fourth round are Oman and Palestine, with the pair looking to secure either third or fourth place in Group B on Tuesday. The two countries face off against each other in Amman with the Palestinians needing to win to climb above Rashid Jaber's side and keep their World Cup qualification dream alive. Neither nation has played at the World Cup and Palestine go into the meeting having handed Kuwait a 2-0 defeat on Thursday to stay in the hunt for a spot in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
'The shirt is more important': Cosmin Olaroiu says indiscipline 'betrays' national team after bans for UAE duo
Cosmin Olaroiu, the UAE coach, says the severe punishments given to Khalid Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil show indiscipline will not be tolerated. On Sunday, the UAE FA announced the two players had been stood down from the national team's trip to Bishkek for Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan. They were also banned for five domestic matches, and fined a massive Dh500,000 each. The circumstances surrounding the decision remain undisclosed, other than that it was a 'violation' of discipline that occurred in the national team camp on Saturday. Speaking ahead of the Kyrgyzstan game on Monday evening, Olaroiu did not clarify what had happened, but he said any misconduct 'betrays' the national team. 'It is always disappointing to have to make this kind of a decision, but when the players come to play for the national team, they have to understand it is not about themselves,' Olaroiu said. 'I told them before the first game: this shirt that we wear is more than ourselves. We are carrying the responsibility for a million people. 'Not for the club, not for our families. We are carrying it for a million people. There doesn't exist any compromise, or any situation where we can do things in a different way.' Olaroiu is likely to have felt personally let down by the controversy. He is in his first two weeks in the role of national team coach, and there had been a groundswell of optimism that greeted his arrival. That was dulled slightly by the goalless draw with Uzbekistan on Thursday which ruled the UAE out of automatic qualification for the World Cup. But they still have a chance to make it, via a week-long, three-team group to be played in October. The winners of that will also qualify. The issue of the banned players has complicated the new coach's plans, and the identity of the duo is a surprise. As a target man centre forward, Adil has been highly impressive in his young international career to date – at least when injuries have allowed him to get on the field. And Al Dhanhani has already thrived under Olaroiu's management. He was the first choice right back in the Sharjah side which was highly successful under the Romanian in recent seasons. 'Discipline is the basis for success in anything, not only in football,' Olaroiu said. 'We need to start from here to build a future for this team, and create a group and create a family. 'When you take a different action, you betray your colleagues and your family, and we have to take a decision that shows it. 'Things are very serious in the national team, and behaviour is one of the main targets for the players when they come with the national team. 'Now I think everyone understands things should be serious, and that this is not about yourself. It is something bigger than us, and we need to think about this.' As Olaroiu spoke in the press conference in a spartan room at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in the Kyrgyz capital, Caio Canedo was alongside him, and nodded along in agreement. The Al Wasl striker has been a squad regular in the national team's bid to make the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico next year. He said the players understand the responsibility they have when they are selected to represent the country. 'Despite the fact we have already qualified for the play-offs, we face this match with a lot of responsibilities,' Canedo said. 'Every time we defend the colours of our country we know the responsibility that we carry. It is an opportunity for the players to show they deserve to be in this squad. 'We know we are going to have a difficult, physical game, and our idea is to finish this group stage with a victory so we can carry on with confidence into the next round.' Although the game in Bishkek is meaningless in terms of qualifying – the UAE are already confirmed for the next round, while the hosts cannot make it – Olaroiu has high expectations of his players. 'Because the game is not important to qualification for the World Cup, we are going to see the character of the players, and the level of concentration with the game not being so extremely important,' Olaroiu said. 'They need to know that when they are playing for the national team, it is a totally different perspective. 'Step by step we need to improve the way we play, our determination, our spirit. Everything needs to be improved and this game gives us the possibility to get one step in front. This is what I want to see from the players. 'After the first game [against Uzbekistan] I expect there to be another big improvement in all aspects. It is an opportunity for all the players.'
The National
a day ago
- The National
UAE can still go to World Cup with 'great coach' Cosmin Olaroiu, says Caio Canedo
Caio Canedo, the UAE forward, says the national team still believe they can qualify for the World Cup, even if the route to get there has now changed. A goalless draw with Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night sent the Central Asian side directly to the finals in United States, Canada and Mexico next year. The UAE will instead face an extra phase of the qualifying process. They will play in a three-team pool over the course of a week in October, alongside two other third or fourth placed sides from the third round of Asian qualifying. The winners of that will go to the World Cup. Those will be the 13th and 14th matches the UAE will have played in the convoluted competition structure in Asia. Even then, it is possible the process could be extended into an extra two rounds. The second placed sides in October's tournament will then face play-offs to make it into an intercontinental tournament which will decide the final qualifiers for the World Cup. Despite the seemingly never-ending journey, Canedo said the UAE 'project' still feels new. That is because of the belated arrival of Cosmin Olaroiu as coach, in a move which has apparently infused the squad with new belief. Candeo spoke after Thursday's goalless draw against Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi that left them third in Group A of Asian qualifying. His comments came before the Football Association on Sunday stood down two of his teammates, Khaled Al Dhanhani and Sultan Adil, from the squad travelling to Kyrgyzstan for Tuesday's final match for an unspecified 'violation'. 'There is a feeling of disappointment because only the victory mattered, but we can still go to the World Cup, just in a different way,' Canedo said. 'If you see the players now, nobody is happy. But we have to believe in the project, we have to believe in the new coach, a great coach with new ideas. 'It is still the beginning, with a new project and ideas and we are all working together. We have got to keep going. We still have another way to go through.' Canedo, the Al Wasl forward, was introduced late on against Uzbekistan as the home side tried to find a way through a resolute backline. They fell short, though, as the visitors secured the point they needed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. 'We knew it would be difficult,' Canedo said. 'We were very optimistic to win, and I think the team played a good game. 'We fought, and the circumstances of the game meant they would play with five [at the back], tall guys, who were physically strong. 'We had chances, and they just had one when they hit the post. We are building an identity, a new project, new idea, new formation and new players. 'We need time. Of course, we don't have this time, but we need it. There are no excuses, we just have to keep working hard, talk less, and we still have a chance to go through.' Canedo, Hareb Abdullah and Yahya Al Ghassani were all introduced as second-half substitutes. Each of them has had an impact on the UAE's qualifying campaign, even though they were light on game time for their club sides at times last season. For his first match in charge, Olaroiu brought Ali Saleh and Majed Hassan back into the starting line up after long absences. Each has been playing regularly in the UAE Pro League; Saleh as captain of Al Wasl, and Hassan in the engine room of Olaroiu's Sharjah side who were runners-up to Shabab Al Ahli. Olaroiu said after the draw against Uzbekistan the absence of national team players from club duty is a problem that needs to be solved. 'When we thought about the starting game, we thought about the players who play regularly in their clubs, because they have to have minutes in their legs,' Olaroiu said. 'That is one thing we have to have in consideration when we select the first XI. We need the players to play and this is a problem. Some of the players don't play too much in their clubs.' The UAE will face Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek on Tuesday in their last match in this phase of Asian qualifying.
