No rest for UAE youth teams during Ramadan as they prepare for big competitions

U-23 team coach Ali Ibrahim says training during fasting has not been an issue

Coach Abdullah Misfir, centre, overseeing training by the UAE Under-19 national team. Courtesy UAE FA

ABU DHABI // The UAE’s national youth teams have busy summer schedules preparing for three different age-group tournaments, meaning they will have to train during Ramadan.

The Olympic team is in Germany, readying for the sixth Under 23 Gulf Cup in Qatar from August 30 to September 11.

The U19s began training last Tuesday for the AFC Cup in Myanmar from October 6 to 20 while the U16s are set to travel to Turkey for a camp ahead of the U16 Gulf Cup in Qatar from August 10 to 19.

The Olympic team flew out on June 13 and will return today after a second friendly last night against the Russian club Spartak Moscow’s second-string team, who are also in a training camp in Germany.

In the first friendly on Tuesday, the UAE edged out local club SV Heimstetten 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Ali Yaqoob.

Ali Ibrahim, the UAE U23 coach, said the two friendlies were helping him work out his best formation after an extensive training workout in the camp.

“Our focus in the warm-up matches is to fine-tune the squad and work on the proper deployment of the team, but winning friendlies will also help in motivating the players and make them taste the flavour of success,” he said.

“The players were impressive in the first friendly, and I can say that I have a better idea about the players and after the second match the whole picture would be clear.

“I hope to collect all the required information about my squad to build my plans on solid foundations before the Gulf Cup. I have focused on the physical and tactical skills in the gym, swimming pool and on the pitch, and I have received a good response from the players.

“Despite the tough training sessions, they were working hard and enthusiastically. The surrounding environments are also very helpful and hopefully the camp overseas will achieve all its objectives.”

The training for the Olympic team will continue uninterrupted back in base after a short break for the players to spend some time with their families and for the first three days of fasting during the Holy Month, which is set to begin on Sunday.

“Training over the summer months and during fasting has not been an issue for us,” Ibrahim said.

“This has been going on almost every year, and every time the fasting month falls during the summer. The players are well-accustomed to this trend to train late in the night.”

Abdullah Misfir, who left the Arabian Gulf League club Al Dhafra, has been employed again by the Football Association in charge of the U19s.

The Emirati took charge of the squad’s first training session at the Theyab Awana grounds in Dubai on Tuesday.

Misfir will decide where the team is headed for the camp in Europe in the next few days. The UAE are drawn in Group B in the AFC Cup, which includes Uzbekistan, Australia and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the U16s open their Gulf Cup title defence against Saudi Arabia on August 10 and face Bahrain two days later in Group A. The top two teams in each three-team group advance to the semi-finals.

The squad under coach Badr Saleh will regroup on July 3 for a three-day camp at the Theyab Awana grounds before their departure for Istanbul on July 7.

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