Saudi Arabia

[maij]

Interesting to see the rivalry between countries we always think would cooperate. Maybe UAE wants KSA even less to qualify than Iran. Neighbourhood also means rivalry. Austrians also always want Germans to lose, outsiders might think closely related neighbours would help and cheer for each other in football.

I still remember the bitter rivalry between Bahrain and Qatar some distant years ago that extended from football fields to near military conflict (temporarily occupation by Qatar security forces of a small Island in Bahrain).


Saudi Arabia and Qatar have ongoing conflicts politically and only recently their ambassadors went back.
Saudi Arabia and UAE have boarder disputes and have not been on good terms in football due to counter accusation after that last Persian Gulf football tournament.


Yes , sometimes the neighbors become bitter enemies.

Some might see it as Arab vs. Ajam issues , but there are far too many other factors that one must look at apart from this angle only.

I very much doubt that the UAE as a team or as a federation , entertains Gavbandi. I defy anyone to give me an example or even a hint of such occurrence. At the end of the day , I believe that Iran only deserves to make it to the World Cup , if they beat other teams on merit and on the field , rather than depending on others to do them a favor.

[Kaveh]

I believe that Iran only deserves to make it to the World Cup , if they beat other teams on merit and on the field , rather than depending on others to do them a favor.

[Doctor DOOM]

majid jan, I dont think we'd want favors from teams.
In fact we all want teams to play for THEMSELVES ONLY and none other. no favors for us or anyone else.
as long as teams dont do favors for others, we're fine.

[maij]

majid jan, I dont think we'd want favors from teams.
In fact we all want teams to play for THEMSELVES ONLY and none other. no favors for us or anyone else.
as long as teams dont do favors for others, we're fine.

Why should we care what the others do in their matches?

Let them do all the alleged Gavbandi they want , they want to play for others or themselves is not what bothers me at all. If there is concern , it should be in our own matches, and if we cant make it on our own , then there is no need to cry foul because of our own incompetency.

Then again , if we make it just because Team B defeated team C , then Team B did us a favor and we are in the same league of gavbandi !

[Doctor DOOM]

Why should we care what the others do in their matches?

Let them do all the alleged Gavbandi they want , they want to play for others or themselves is not what bothers me at all. If there is concern , it should be in our own matches, and if we cant make it on our own , then there is no need to cry foul because of our own incompetency.

Then again , if we make it just because Team B defeated team C , then Team B did us a favor and we are in the same league of gavbandi !

but that's NOT what I'm saying.
I'm saying a team (A) has to do its best to advance. and lets assume they do that. but on the final day, team B gives in to team C out of ordinary.
as I said, we dont want ANY FAVORS from ppl. as long as they all compete and conduct a healthy competition, we are fine with it.
NO favors.

but anyway, I'm happy with the scheduling of uae-ksa games. especially the game in uae, which is early on and uae would be in the running and wouldnt just give in.
so we're good for this stage.

[Ali Chicago]

I don't think we have any PFDC memebers who live in KSA, but can PFDC members that live in the Persian gulf countries, share any news they have about KSA TM preparation, camps or other related news?

It would be nice to know what your competition do, before you face them.

[maij]

The most worthy news is that Yasser Al Qahtani , their star forward is under treatment for a leg injury. He did not participate in their summer camp in the Czech Republic and instead concentrated in getting in shape to recover from the injury.

[Ali Chicago]

The most worthy news is that Yasser Al Qahtani , their star forward is under treatment for a leg injury. He did not participate in their summer camp in the Czech Republic and instead concentrated in getting in shape to recover from the injury.

Merci Majid Khan. Have they played friendlies? Who is the coach? How long has he coached them? Any shake up in their team or pretty much the team that was runner up in the AFC championship last year?

[zzgloo]

I wonder what happened to the Saudi's search for a new head coach ....
Last time, two mounths ago, they were negociateing with "Hugo Sanchez "...and even if that did not work,stiil, it means they are after a foerign coach !

[Martin-Reza]

I read their second main striker, Malek Muaz Al Hawsawi, is also injured and that him and Al Qahtani could both miss the Iran match...

[maij]

The coach is still Nasser Al Jowhar. I am pretty certain that the Saudi FA is actively and secretly looking for another foreign coach and probably will find one despite their track record of firing them with handsome payout.

There are currently 3 players on the injured list , Yasser Al Qahtani , Malek Ma'ath and Mohammad Al Shahloob. They are pretty much their whole forward line and the next player in the list is Al Shahrani who is fully fit.

Al Qahatani assured the press that he will be playing against Iran, the other two are not 100% yet.

[maij]

Saudi Arabia arranged a friendly with "***OVO" , but FIFA canceled that match because ***ovo is not yet a fully fledged member of FIFA.

[Ali Chicago]

Agha Maij, dastet dard nakooneh. Great to have someone in the Persian gulf conutries that can read Arabic, while being very knowledgable about football and keep us in the loop. Merci Agha.

[maij]

Agha Maij, dastet dard nakooneh. Great to have someone in the Persian gulf conutries that can read Arabic, while being very knowledgable about football and keep us in the loop. Merci Agha.

You are most welcome ,Ali Agha

[Martin-Reza]

So it seems they will have a depleted forward line or at least a not fully fit and top-shape attack.

We are so far only missing Khalili for sure.