Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola during a training session in Doha yesterday. Munich are in Qatar until January 17 for winter camp. (EPA)
By Joe Koraith/Doha
In the football world there are a few people, who, when they say something, you sit up and take notice - and take notes too. Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is one of them and he has a message for the people of Qatar regarding the 2022 World Cup.
“The people in Qatar have to help the country to make the event the best that is possible. The world will be watching and I hope the people here can help out to show the world that they are capable of hosting the biggest event in football,” said Guardiola during a press conference yesterday. The Bundesliga champions Bayern are in Doha for their winter training camp, for the fifth year in a row.
Apart from Bayern’s winter training camps, Guardiola also has a personal link with Qatar. The Spaniard has played for the Qatar Stars League, way back in 2003. And all of that experience has prompted him to say that awarding the World Cup to Qatar is a great way for different cultures of the world to meet and know each other. “FIFA has always tried to look for new areas to promote the sport. They went to South Africa in 2010 and in 2022 they have decided to come here. It’s a good step to come to this part of the world. It will help the rest of the world to know this part. Football at the end is a great opportunity to meet different cultures,” said Guardiola.
When asked what was the best time to hold the 2022 World Cup, Guardiola said he preferred it to be held in winter. “The best time is November-December. It shouldn’t be held in the summer. World Cups are usually held in the summer but you can’t play in the summer here. The temperatures reach 45 degrees. The matches will have to be held at 11 or 12 in the night if the tournament is held in the summer.”
Guardiola had played in the QSL for the Al Ahli club way back in 2003 and was here for almost three years. When asked about the difference in the level of the game in the QSL between now and then, Guardiola said, “I came here a long time ago. The level of football was a bit amateurish then but it is much better now.
“I don’t have the exact information but Qatar does have some of the best sporting facilities in the world. They are now organising the handball World Cup and they have the most famous name in handball, Valero Rivera as their national team coach.”
“The infrastructure here is amazing. Infrastructure needs the right people to maximise its potential and they are in capable hands here in Qatar. Not just the physical aspect but also the mental conditioning needs to be taken care of. And Qatar has all of those facilities,” he added.
Mansoor al-Ansari, Executive Director of National Teams Department at Qatar Football Association was also present during the press conference and he expressed his happiness at such a big club like Bayern choosing Doha as their base for their winter camps, year after year. “Qatar has always tried its best to be recognised as the sports capital of the region. This is one of the reasons for this relationship with Bayern Munich. We are confident that we have the best sporting facilities here and Bayern’s decision to come back every year only proves that. Our goal is to strengthen the relationship between Bayern and the Qatar football family.”
“We are organising a friendly match between Bayern and the star players of Qatar Stars League. It is very important for Qatar players to play against a team like Bayern. While our main players are currently playing in the Asian Cup, we are trying to get the young players from the U19 and the Olympic team to feature in this game. The final decision is up to the coaches but the match will be of great value to Qatar football,” said al-Ansari.
The friendly match between Bayern and Qatar Stars Team will be played on Tuesday from 8 pm at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium. Tickets are available for 50 QAR and 100 QAR at tickets.qsl.com.qa.
