The UAE have begun in earnest their second stint with Bert van Marwijk in charge, with the squad meeting in Dubai for a 10-day training camp.
The Dutchman has called 27 players to the get-together, which starts on Sunday and concludes on January 12 with a friendly against Iraq. The UAE will train daily at Al Wasl’s Zabeel Stadium.
Van Marwijk, 68, returned to the national team last month as successor to Jorge Luis Pinto, little more than one year after his first spell was brought to a close. The camp marks the first of three between now and the resumption of qualification for the 2022 World Cup, slated for March.
Notable additions to Van Marwijk's latest squad include Baniyas duo Fahad Al Dhanhani – one of four goalkeepers called up - and Hassan Al Mahrami, Shabab Al Ahli midfielder Abdullah Al Naqbi and Al Jazira forward Zayed Al Ameri.
Van Marwijk has also called upon naturalised players Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo and Sebastian Tagliabue. The trio was not available to him during his initial tenure. Ahmed Khalil and Omar Abdulrahman, Asian player of the year in 2015 and 2016 respectively, remain out through injury.
Although he was dismissed in December 2019, Van Marwijk finds the UAE in exactly the same position in the second round of World Cup qualification as they were when he left. They sit fourth in Group G, five points off leaders Vietnam with four matches remaining – although they do hold a game in hand over their rivals.
At the moment, the rescheduled qualifiers are to resume on March 25 with a home match against Malaysia, before the UAE face Indonesia away five days later.
Van Marwijk’s side then host Thailand and Vietnam in June. Only the group winners are guaranteed to progress to the third and final round of qualification, alongside the four best runners-up from the eight groups.
