As the UAE prepare to meet Lithuania in a friendly in Austria on Wednesday, Ismail Matar, who is still sidelined with a knee injury, took some time on Tuesday to reflect on what the future holds for him, his club and the national team.
Speaking to the Football Association's website from the training camp in Lienz, Austria, the captain said he is confident the team are capable of taking one of the Asian spots for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, highlighting a young squad as a key factor.
“The players have taken part in many regional, continental and international tournaments, whether at age group level, Olympic or first-team level,” he said “They have matured and there should be no concerns over their abilities.”
He also called the FA’s decision to renew coach Mahdi Ali’s contract until 2018 “a positive, successful step”, as this should ensure stability for a team already chasing clear targets.
Matar said the FA’s faith in Mahdi Ali has been vindicated by his successes: winning the Asian Under 19 championship in Saudi Arabia in 2008 and the Under 23 Gulf Cup in 2010, qualifying with the same team for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and delivering glory at the 2013 Gulf Cup in Bahrain.
“Mahdi Ali’s achievements with a core group of players at different age group levels has over the years cemented a special bond between him and us,” Matar said.
With the 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League kick off less than two weeks away, Matar said his goal is to maintain the good form he showed in the closing weeks of the previous campaign.
Matar, 31, said he is “challenging himself to show that he can still excel at this level” through willpower complemented by realism.
“I think this season the competition will be hot between the clubs, all of whom have prepared very well at training camps in Europe,” he said.
Matar said he is looking forward to Al Wahda's return to the 2015 Asian Champions League, and he congratulated Al Ain and their fans on their progress to the semi-finals of this year's edition.
Matar said also he is pleased with the increased movement of Emirati players, especially the international players, between AGL clubs.
“It’s a healthy trend which should benefit the players and the national team,” he said. “ We are all professionals and it’s the right of every player to seek the best possible deal for himself.”
akhaled@thenational.ae
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