CHOFU, Tokyo, 10 June — The Saudi team will offer a tough fight in tomorrow’s match against Ireland. Prince Nawaf ibn Faisal, deputy chief of the Youth Welfare Presidency, made this observation in a press statement here on the sidelines of a function arranged by the organizing committee of the Saudi camp here.
The prince said the performance of the team in the last match against Cameroon reflected the true technical standard achieved by the team though it could not win the match. He also warned that the Saudis will not provide a walkover for anyone.
The prince thanked FIFA President Sepp Blatter and the Japanese media for their appreciation of the Saudi performance in its encounter with Cameroon.
While refuting the bitter criticism made by a section of the media about the performance of coach Nasir Al-Jowhar and some other players, the prince demanded the press to offer constructive criticism and be impartial.
New injury blow for Saudis
Saudi Arabia’s hopes suffered another blow yesterday with the news that experienced midfielder Abdullah Al-Sharani was doubtful because of painful joints in his right leg.
Coach Nasir Al-Jowhar said he was worried that the 48-times capped Al-Sharani would not make it.
“I’m worried about Al-Sharani as he has only two days to make it,” he said.
A source within the squad’s medical staff told AFP unless he was able to train yesterday he would not be fit enough for the match in which the Saudis will be bidding for their first goal and first point of the finals. “He couldn’t train at all on Friday and only did a little bit of running on Saturday. So, Sunday is really decision day for his participation,” he told AFP.
Al-Jowhar said the task facing his side was enormous following their 8-0 hammering by Germany and a 1-0 loss to Cameroon.
Ireland will be up for the game knowing that a winning two goal margin will ensure their progress to the second round where they would likely to face Spain.
“The Irish team is actually on a par quality wise with the Germans and the Cameroons and in fact were better than the two of them in the first two matches (both 1-1 draws),” he said.
Al-Jowhar also had a message for his critics saying people’s expectations had been too high coming into the tournament because they were based on the wonderful debut at the finals in 1994 when they reached the second round.
“The Saudi people shouldn’t always focus on what we did in our first participation in 1994 because if they continue to do so we will not improve our level of performance.
“There is a lot of difference between Belgium and Morocco (their two victims in the first round group in 1994) and the three-time world champions Germany and African champions Cameroon,” he said.
Sands of time run out on
Saudi ‘golden boy’
Saudi Arabian footballing legend Sami Al-Jaber saw his hopes of crowning a decorated international career with a spectacular farewell against Ireland ended here Saturday by an appendix operation.
The striker known as ‘golden boy’ is set to quit the international stage at the relatively young age of 29 — he turns 30 in December — but 12 years of playing for the national side and the chance of bowing out on the greatest stage of all, the World Cup finals, seemed an appropriate time for him to go after 150 caps and 53 goals.
“What better way is there for a player to say farewell to the international scene than at the greatest festival of the sport,” he said prior to Germany’s 8-0 hammering of the Saudis.
Sadly his farewell turned sour starting with the humiliation by the Germans, where he picked up right knee and ankle injuries which ruled him out of the clash with Cameroon.
Just as he was cleared to face the Irish in Yokohama tomorrow he was struck down with appendicitis.
Such things are not meant to happen to the heroes and to the public he was that and more ever since making his debut as a 17-year-old in 1990 by Brazil’s future World Cup-winning coach Carlos Parreira and explains why when he announced his impending retirement hundreds of teenagers turned up at his Riyadh home to plead with him to revoke his decision.
He first notified the wider world of his talents when he was part of the Saudi side that became only the second Asian side to reach the latter stages of a World Cup finals in 1994 when his penalty secured a 2-1 win over Morocco.
While Saeed Al-Owairan’s solo effort against Belgium remains the defining image of their campaign in those finals it was to be Al-Jaber who had the staying power whereas his strike partner went off.
Perhaps Al-Jaber’s greatest moment and when he cemented his place in the hearts of the Saudi people came when he led the line brilliantly to land the 1996 Asian Cup and inspired his side Al-Hilal to clinch the Asian Cup Winners Cup.
