The AFC Champions League title is not a reason for Al Ain’s results to decline

Former national team player, Subit Khater, confirmed that Al Ain’s victory in the last edition of the AFC Champions League is not a reason for the decline in the team’s results during the current season in all local and international tournaments.

Subit Khater told «Emirates Today» that winning the continental title did not make the team’s focus less in the current season, due to the saturation of the players after the historical achievement, explaining: “The results achieved by Al Ain are certainly not satisfactory, whether for its fans or for the sports street, especially since it is an ambassador for Emirates Football.” “And he was the tough number in the continental championships.”

He added: “After winning the AFC Champions League title, the team was exposed to many circumstances, such as the injury of Laba Kodjo, and the decline in the levels of some players, but it is still possible for any team in the world to decline in its level, and the most important thing is how to return and overcome this difficult period.”

Subit Khater stressed that “winning the AFC Champions League title is not a reason for the decline in Al Ain’s results, as the team was not successful due to the many defensive errors, for example, in addition to the lack of stability with changing the coach, which is one of the clear reasons, especially since the new coach is looking for The appropriate lineup, and it has not yet been settled on a fixed lineup, which made the team lose its identity, but at the same time I see that the players bear a large part of the decline in the level and results of the team.”

Regarding the dismissal of coach Hernan Crespo, and that it was not a sufficient solution to the team’s problems, he said: “Indeed, the problem was not only with Crespo, as the individual and collective mistakes were great, and one of the reasons for them may have been the Argentine coach, because of his stubbornness with some players, and other mistakes that he committed.” In the lineup, and his handling of matches, and in general, it was a small problem that worsened and became a big one.”

As for the responsibility of Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim for the team’s results, he said: “Jardim bears part of the results two months after he took over the job, because he tried many players and did not settle on a fixed lineup, and I can say that in the coming period the team must cohesion. The Portuguese coach has a major role to play in improving the players’ performance.”

Regarding the deals that “Al-Zaeem” needs in the coming period, he said: “For me, I mentioned earlier that the club must contract with a defender, a playmaker, and a super strong midfielder, in order to compete for championships, as I see that the Paraguayan Kaku cannot be relied upon. “Last season his level was actually better, but in the current season he declined significantly, and in the event of Lapa’s absence there must be an alternative, because Sufyan Rahimi’s place is in the wing position.”

On the other hand, he stressed that it cannot be said that Al Ain’s season is over, and said: “Al Ain cannot focus solely on preparing for the 2025 Club World Cup, because the season is not over, and we do not know what might happen in the second half of it.”