The confidence gained from beating Saudi Arabia in the group phase of the Asian Cup was chiefly instrumental in Qatar winning the prestigious continental tournament, coach Felix Sanchez said yesterday.
Prior to this year’s edition of the Asian Cup, Qatar could only boast two quarter-final appearances, but Sanchez’s boys turned the tournament on its head with a series of inspiring performances that saw them finish with an all-win record, culminating with the stunning victory over four-time champions Japan in the final.
Sanchez was in charge of various junior teams before being handed the reins of the senior squad in July 2017, and the no-nonsense Spaniard is largely credited with engineering the team’s turn of fortunes by implementing a strict regimen for players supplemented by various strategic initiatives in collaboration with the experts at Aspire Academy.
They travelled to the UAE carrying the hopes of a nation in the backdrop of the Gulf crisis, the title win coming as poetic justice as blockading nations Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain all fell by the wayside despite enjoying hysterical support from their fans fired up by their equally vicious media campaigns.
“Each game was difficult, but the win over Saudi Arabia gave us a push, the players got more confident that they can go all the way,” Sanchez told reporters at a gala function organised by the Qatar Football Association to honour team sponsors and supporters at the Mondrian Doha hotel.
The victory over the three-time champions saw Qatar top the group stage, before they accounted for Iraq in the last-16, South Korea in the quarter-finals and the UAE in the semi-finals leading to the historic final against Japan whom they defeated 3-1 to win the tournament for the first time.
Sanchez said that the title victory silenced critics who constantly carped about the country’s lack of “footballing culture”, adding that the world now looked at Qatari football with respect and admiration.
“The victory has been noticed around the world. Now everyone knows Qatar is a good football-playing nation. They know the players. It’s good for the players, it’s good for the country,” the Spaniard added. Sanchez said although Almoez Ali was the star of the tournament with his nine goals, it was the entire team’s commitment that helped Qatar win the tournament.
“Sure, Almoez had a great tournament, but all the boys competed as a group. It was team work. Their commitment was exemplary and they tried hard, eventually making the country proud.” He added that he is focused on the Copa America next when Qatar travel to Brazil in June to take part in the tournament as one of the two guest teams, the other being Asian Cup runners-up Japan.
“I am very excited (about the Copa America),” Sanchez said. It’s a very big tournament and a big challenge for us. It will help us gain big experience, real experience before the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
Qatar could play a few friendly matches against South American countries ahead of the Copa America, with Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Panama and the USA among the prospective teams.
“We are yet to finalise our preparations for the Copa America but surely we are looking at some friendly games. We will prepare a list of potential teams but we will have to see if they are available,” Sanchez said.
Qatar Football Association (QFA) president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani said the team’s first friendly would be in early June, AFP reported.
“It will be [a team] from South America, we will announce it as soon as possible,” he said.
Qatar have been drawn in a group with Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay in the Copa America, which starts on June 15.
The 2022 World Cup hosts could also set up a training camp in the United States ahead of the tournament.
Sheikh Hamad added that the QFA was “working” on a new contract for Sanchez following the Asian Cup triumph.
Sanchez, however, said he did not need one, but when asked how long his existing contract was for, he said he could not “remember”.
Qatar Airways Group CEO HE Akbar al-Baker, Bader al-Darwish, Chairman and Managing Director of Darwish Holding and other dignitaries representing various business houses in Qatar were present on the occasion.
(Front row from L-R) Supervisor of the Qatar national football team Talal al-Kaabi, Qatar coach Felix Sanchez, President of Qatar Football Association Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive HE Akbar al-Baker and Qatar football captain Hassan al-Haydos pose for a picture with members of the national football team during a ceremony honouring them at the Mondrian Doha hotel yesterday. At right, QFA general-secretary Mansoor al-Ansari makes the welcome speech.
