Called for Taking Legal Actions for the Best Interest of UAE Football.. Zoran: We are Able to Compensate the Result in Return Match and the Result was Unfair
Zoran Mamic, Head Coach of Al Ain FC, inaugurated the post-match press conference held following the end of his team’s match against Algeria’s ES Sétif of Round 32 of Arab Club Champions Cup, by congratulating Sétif team for winning the match against Al Ain. He emphasized: “I think we saw an interesting match between two different teams. ES Sétif who is already playing in CAF Africa Champions League and Al Ain who they are in their first part of preparation. However, we have seen how my team is far better on the pitch. They played good football given the short period of preseason of the team’s camp.”
“We faced a number of challenges, including the weather condition, the physical status of my players is not optimal at the moment and above all we miss some important players,” said Zoran. He added: “That is why we missed lots of chances today, but I believe in the return match with Berg, Ajab and Mohannad maybe we can compensate this result. We will push ourselves to the limit and do our best.”
Zoran underlined: “We have proved it today that we could beat Sétif. The result of today’s match is unfair and not objective, but this is football. Again, we will try to do our best in the second game with more scoring and less conceding.”
Filing an Objection
On his point of view on the timings of the first leg and return matches of the championship, he said in plain words: “Yes, of course it is hard because as we prepared the team with the mindset that 10 to 12 players will join the national team. Then, it was clear for us it would not be easy for us to came over such an obstacle and this is why I protest very loud against calling the international players to join the national team.” He gave more explanation on his decision by saying, “It is not a secret anyway to tell that I did not pay that much attention to this match. Indeed, I do care more about training because in front of us a long season and many competitions. If I do not do a good training with my team in the preseason, then I will face a very difficult situation in the coming season. This is why we train everyday twice. Yesterday and the day before we trained twice, and we did not stop with the intensity of our work. I gave the players a break tomorrow to resume our hard training. This comes first and a priority for me.” Zoran commented on the coming match against Sétif: “If we will do our best to achieve a good positive result next match and we will try, but as I said in the pre-match conference if it comes to me the most important thing is to prepare the team for the coming season in the right manner.”
The National Team’s Interest
Commenting on the fans’ positive reaction and supporting his objection to UAEFA’s decision to attach 9 Ainawi players to the national team, he said: “I do not know what is happening right now. Yet, I do what is only normal and I have a direct channel of communication with Mr. Chairman members of the club and urged them to take a legal action. It is something normal!” He went on to say: “Our action is legal, and the rules of FIFA say official dates to release players should be 6-7 days. It will be illegal action to force the club to release the players, especially if we have competitions and Arab Club Champions Cup is an official competition. Add to that, the team has another competition, that is the Super Cup scheduled to be held in Egypt. This means for me that it is not normal that the national team players go and join the national team while Asia Cup is scheduled to be held after 5 months. The national team has enough time in September they have 15 FIFA days and in October, November and December. Indeed, this means they have enough time.”
Zoran underscored: “Al Ain Team could do much better to play a game like this compared to play against a 3rd division team in Austria. This is not the level for making football in UAE better that is why I think it is much better that not only Al Ain players but all UAE teams to stay with their teams and make their preseason preparations with their own clubs.”
Protecting My Team
“No national team in the world make something like this! Now I heard this in UAE and this happened only two or three years ago with the former head coach of the national team, Mahdi Ali, who decided to hold a 40-day training camp for the international players and this is not normal and goes against the FIFA regulations,” said he.
He stressed: “I do not make the rules and do not make this kind of decisions, but I protect my club and myself and team very hard and will do whatever for the team to succeed. I want to make this very clear that there is nothing against UAEFA, but it is for the interest of the UAE football sector.
Zero Communication
Zoran criticized the lack of communication between him and the head coach of the national team by saying: “The national coach even does not communicate with me, it is the other way round as I contact him.” He further explained, “In the last three weeks, he did not contact me to ask about Amer, Ajab, Mohannad or Ismael on their training or whether they have problems or what do you do in training, because my style of preparation is different form Ahli preparations and other clubs. Who will make put all these different styles together? You know this may lead to injuries to players which is by the end of the day is not good for UAE football. They need to stay with their teams as otherwise this is not professional.”
He concluded the press conference by stating: “The Arab Club Champions Cup is very important, but my first target is the Super cup against Al Wahda. Then, my focus will be turned to other championships and competitions.” He added: “Definitely, I do respect this current competition and the organizers, but if we have to be careful with the schedule of my team. If you look at the calendar, we will find that the season will finish by end of June 2018 and the Holy Month of Ramadan will be during May 2018 and we are scheduled to play 7 games in Ramadan; how is that possible?”
