Khalifa Al Hammadi is a distinguished player…and he must regain his self-confidence

Former national team player, Subit Khater, confirmed that the “Gulf 26” tournament currently being held in Kuwait revealed many facts, perhaps the most important of which is that the strongest leagues in the Gulf did not produce the strongest teams, pointing out that the Bahrain national team surprised everyone despite the weakness of its local championship. It was not classified as a strong Arab or Gulf league, but it succeeded in claiming the top spot in its group and defeating Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the strongest candidates for the title.

Subit Khater told Emirates Today: “A strong league does not mean a strong team. In numbers, what we saw in (Khaleeji Zain) is completely different. We saw teams that do not have strong local championships and are currently controlling the tournament, especially the Bahrain team, which succeeded in providing a strong performance.” “It advanced to the semi-finals as the first team.”

He added: “The UAE national team played two very wonderful matches, but as a result we were not successful. We played an ideal match against Qatar and did not succeed in winning, and against Kuwait we started excellently and we were the ideal team, but we retreated in the match. The performance has been good so far, and the results will certainly come after that.” ».

He continued: “Mistakes are common and natural in football, and we have all made mistakes that must be learned from in the future. Khalifa Al Hammadi is a distinguished player, and he must regain his self-confidence, and he has a great future. We will not lose confidence in him or the players, as they are capable of changing reality and achieving victory and advancement.” ».

Subait Khater affirmed his rejection of those who compare the Gulf Championship to the Asian Championship, and said: “The public compares the situation of the national team in the World Cup qualifiers and the Gulf Cup. This is a big mistake… The situation is completely different, and our standards for improvement are clear, and the evidence is that a year or two ago we were afraid of facing Qatar.” “Today, we are sad about not beating Qatar in the opening match. There are new players who were terrified at the beginning, but in general the team is giving good performances.”

Speight sent a message to the players, saying: “We know that you will reconcile the audience. We are with you whether we win the tournament or lose. The most important thing is that we do what we have to in the tournament and the Oman match, and leave the result behind, and I know that you have a lot of experience to offer.”

He continued: “I was surprised by the atmosphere of the Gulf Championship, and I have not come to Kuwait since 2003 when I was a player. The situation has completely changed. Kuwait presents an exceptional version of the Gulf Championships, and there is great media momentum that I have not seen before. In previous periods, the teams did not attend with the basic formation. Today, all the teams are preparing with the starting lineup, and this is a positive and wonderful thing. We thank Kuwait for this edition and wish the team success.”

Subait Khater called on the public to attend and stand behind the team, pointing out that the players need this presence, encouragement, and confidence in the technical staff and the team.