Athletes and technical analysts made extensive technical observations on the performance of the national football team, led by Portuguese coach Paulo Bento, which caused a decline in the results of the “White” team, and its coming in third place in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, despite the strong start away from home by defeating the Qatari team (3). -1), stressing the seriousness of the national team’s position after losing eight points in three matches.
They told Emirates Al-Youm, “The team suffered from poor preparation. The coach did not benefit from the opportunity to adequately prepare the team, and brought in new players who were unable to adapt to the rest of the elements. He also did not benefit from the players who recently joined the team, especially those who obtained citizenship.” Finally, the Emirati, despite their high technical potential.”
They explained, “The team lacked veteran players, such as: Ali Mabkhout and Bandar Al-Ahbabi, and the coach did not play friendly matches with strong teams before the confrontations to discover flaws, weaknesses and strengths, in addition to the lack of clarity of vision regarding the method and style of play, and reliance on some reserve players in their clubs.” As essential elements in the team, the lack of stability in the starting lineup, and the constant changes that occur from one match to another, not to mention the lack of good psychological and physical preparation of the team for these important qualifiers.”
They called on Pinto to change his method of leading the national team and avoid these negatives before the national team’s confrontation on Thursday and the 19th of this month against the Kyrgyzstan and Qatari national teams, respectively, in the fifth and sixth rounds.
Relying on substitutes
For his part, the former general supervisor of football at the Baniyas Club, sports analyst, Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, said: “The reasons for the team’s decline are due to poor preparation, not taking enough time for the players to get along and implement coach Pinto’s plan, and this was clearly evident in the players who recently joined him, who… They obtained Emirati citizenship, in addition to relying on reserve players in their clubs, leaving the main players on the bench or not calling them up, in addition to the changes that occur in the lineup in every match, which causes the team to lose its identity and cohesion in play. This causes defensive and offensive problems.”
Al-Awadhi added, “There is a lack of clarity in the vision, as we do not know whether the team is playing offensively or defensively, and there is also a deficiency in the coach’s reading of the competing teams when setting the basic lineup, as there must be mobile and creative ideas before the match by studying the opponent well before and during.” The match, and the ability to change game plans based on data on the field.”
He continued, “We all have confidence in Al-Abyad, and we support him and the coach, and we ask him to change some of his beliefs so that we can reach the desired goal, and reach the World Cup finals.”
Absence of veterans
The former international player and former general supervisor of the national team, Dr. Hassan Suhail, said, “The way the team prepared for the tournament before its start was not strong, as it did not play strong matches to determine the players’ capabilities before competing in this strong tournament.”
Hassan Suhail pointed out that “the coach plays with an unstable lineup, and also relies on young players, and at the same time he removed veteran players even though these types of tournaments require a mixture of experienced and young players.”
He added, “The responsibility for the decline in the team’s results is not only on Coach Pinto, but we hold him the brunt of the burden, as he did not listen to the observations of the sports street, especially on the issue of the importance of the stability of the squad, in addition to the fact that he did not benefit from the players who recently obtained Emirati citizenship so that they could be stable elements.” In the national team.
He continued, “The same mistakes are repeated from one match to another, with the exception of the Qatar match, which is the only one in which the team appeared at a level and technical performance worthy of it, but after this match there is not sufficient preparation for the team.”
He continued, “There is still a good opportunity for the team to return to the competition, by passing its two matches against Kyrgyzstan and Qatar, regardless of the mistakes that Pinto or the party responsible for preparing the team made. Rather, everyone must unite and stand behind the team and forget the negatives, and focus on the importance of motivating the players.”
Insufficient preparation
In turn, the players’ agent, Walid Al Shamsi, stressed that “the team’s preparation period was not sufficient, as it did not play friendly matches with strong teams, so the Whites appeared without a clear identity, and in need of stability in the starting lineup, as this is considered an essential factor in superiority, in addition to choosing the appropriate elements.” ».
Walid Al Shamsi added, “Coach Pinto called up a large number of players, but so far he has not settled on a fixed squad.”
He continued, “Despite being a players’ agent, there are players in the national team whose names I do not know,” noting that “after Mabkhout’s expulsion, the national team lacked a well-known player who could make a difference.”
He continued, “We were optimistic about the elements that the coach called to the team, but they are elements with little experience, as the team needs players with experience at this important stage in its career.” Al-Shamsi stressed that “the team has a historic opportunity to qualify for the World Cup, and it must not neglect it.” .
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