His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Hassan Al Thani, President of Al-Wakrah Club and former President of the Qatar Football Association, broke his silence and spoke with “Al-Arab Sports” in a comprehensive dialogue about the exit of our national team from the first round competitions of the Gulf Cup in Kuwait, stressing that the team is currently going through a period of renewal. This is a period that any team in the world must go through, and it is a natural phenomenon that we cannot be afraid of.
He said that we congratulate Kuwait for qualifying from the first group, but we cannot ignore the arbitration decisions in the match between Al-Anabi and Al-Azraq. The referee directly influenced the outcome of the match through three decisions out of five arbitration cases that were influential in favor of Al-Anabi, but God decreed and what He willed, He did and we confirm. Once again, our congratulations to the brothers in Kuwait.
I repeat that Qatari football is fine despite the early exit, and we must be patient and support the national team’s stars during the transitional phase to achieve future goals, the most important of which is success in qualifying for the 2024 World Cup.
◆ Beginning.. How do you evaluate the Qatar national team’s participation in the Gulf Cup currently being held in Kuwait?
¶ The team’s participation came during a period of renewal for the players, and this stage is always difficult and requires patience. Yes, we were eliminated from the first round, but we emerged with great gains, the most important of which was the discovery of young players who will have great importance in the future. Qatari football is fine, and there is no fear for it, because we have a strong base of young players capable of returning the national team to its strength and status.
Renewal stage
◆ Do you think that the team’s exit from the first round was expected?
¶ Under the circumstances, it was not unlikely. The team is going through a transitional phase and many changes, and this naturally affects performance and results. Despite the draw with the Emirates and Kuwait and the loss against Oman, the performance showed signs of hope for the future, especially with the emergence of some young players at good levels.
He needs enough opportunity
◆ How do you evaluate the work of the new coach of the national team?
¶ The coach worked hard and tried to give his best in a short period, and we cannot fully judge him now, as he has not yet gotten his full opportunity. The current stage requires patience and the support of the technical staff and players. Of course, we need a coach capable of exploiting the potential of young players and realizing the ambitions of Qatari football, but the final judgment will come after a sufficient period of time.
We cherish Akram and Al-Moez
◆ Do you think that the star Akram Afif did what was required of him in the tournament?
¶ Akram Afif is a big star, and we cannot blame him for the results. He tried as much as he could to use his abilities for the benefit of the team, but the circumstances were not in the team’s favor in general. Despite this, Akram remains the star of the tournament so far, and his role was important in leading the team on the field, but the fans and critics should not underestimate the wonderful player Al-Moez Ali Haqq, as he is a big star and performed at an outstanding level with Annabi.
◆ What about the refereeing performance in the tournament, especially with regard to the Qatari national team matches?
¶ I do not want to touch upon arbitration or talk about the Algerian referee or the video technology referees. Refereeing errors are part of football, and they occur in all tournaments and leagues. The referee is a human being, but what happened is unacceptable or reasonable, so there was an insistence and deliberate intention on the part of the referee and the referees of the mouse to suppress Al-Annabi’s right in clear arbitration cases that contain legal texts that are indisputable and in which there can be no diligence on the part of anyone!! I do not hesitate to say that the arbitration was unfair to Annabi in clear, decisive cases that changed the course of the match and its final result.
We gained young faces
◆ In your opinion.. What are the most important gains that the team achieved from participation?
¶ The most notable gains were discovering young players and giving them opportunities in strong matches like these. These players are the future of Annabi, and with time and experience, they will become stars capable of winning championships. Also, we learned a lot from this engagement, both in terms of improving performance and addressing weaknesses.
The hero of our group
◆ How do you see the chances of the teams qualifying for the semi-finals? Who do you expect to win the title?
¶ I congratulate Kuwait, the leadership, fans and players, for the distinguished organization and great success of the tournament, as well as for their qualification to the semi-finals. I wish success to all the qualified teams, but from my technical reading, I believe that the Gulf Cup champion will be from the first group, as the teams in this group presented distinguished levels and technical stability. Here, I must praise the Omani team, which is technically stable in all its matches, and I do not rule out the Saudi team after the fine performance against the Iraqi team yesterday.
Hiring an international trainer
◆ What are the next steps that you consider necessary to advance the Qatari national team?
¶ The most important step is to give the coach enough time to work on developing the team and building a cohesive group of young players. Also, we must take advantage of the large amount of talent that we have, and work to refine and develop it. We have all the capabilities to succeed, from the great support from the Qatar Football Association to the young talents who have shown their abilities. The most important thing is patience and confidence in the project.
Our fans are amazing and loyal
◆ A final word for the Qatari fans?
¶ I tell the fans that football goes through ups and downs, and we are now in a new building phase. There is no need to worry, the future is bright, and we have wonderful young players who will return Annabi to its natural position. I thank the fans for their constant support, and ask them to continue supporting the national team, because we need this support more than ever.