Saeed Jumaa: Its harm is greater than its benefit to players..Do not be upset with me.. Referee’s VAR use mechanism should be reconsidered
Saeed Jumaa… Star of THE BEST
The current camp is the most difficult for me in eight years
My scores brought me delight twice… I will not change number “44”
Fans make the stars. They gave me the title of Ramos of the Emirates and pushed me to delete my Twitter and Instagram accounts
The centre-back mentality deprived me of offensive runs and enhancing my scores in official matches
Bandar Al-Ahbabi is a perfect player and the best defender, and Khaled Issa is the best goalkeeper
In the FIFA Club World Cup, I had extraordinary moments, and as a member of Al Ain, I am sure that further best moments are waiting ahead
Against Esteghlal, I came out with the most important lessons over my football career, and Issapromised me
Despite his refined and wonderful response to all media requests with his usual smile and overwhelming presence, having this short interview made took verylong. We did not know why, so we had to have it done without any prior appointment, only because making interviews has no space in his mind. The reason is still in his box of secrets, and we hope he will bring it outin future interviews.
He is Saeed Jumaa, the warrior defender and the child of Al Ain Club Academy. The following lines show his bold and spontaneous answers, making the interview so interesting, distinct and exciting.
Thanks & Appreciation
Al Ain’s defender, Saeed Jumaa, voiced his deep thanks, gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, First Vice President of Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club, First Vice President of the Honorary Council & Chairman of the Board of Directors, for his patronage and generous support of the Club and all the players of the top team. He also voiced his thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ain Club and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Affairs of Al Ain Football Club Company, for his constant follow-up and provision of all elements for the team’s excellence, distinction and success so as to achieve goals consistent with the aspirations of the management and the aspirations of the players to delight the loyal fans of Al-Ain.
Best Moment
Asked about his best moment in his football career, he said: “I shall be honest to tell you that the happy moments I have lived as a football player in theprestigious Al Ain Club are myriad, equal to the number of my achievements at the Club since 2015.Yet, my most immortal moment as a player is that I had during the FIFA Club World Cup, reaching the final and facing Real Madrid. It was so surprising, as I did not expect to get to it, but thanks to Allah Almighty, then the support of His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the persistence and determination of the players, and the support of thefans, we have reached the world’s runner-up as the first Gulf club. It is indescribable, but as a player in this great entity, I am fully sure that further best moments are waiting ahead”.
New Players
Commenting on the new players’ deal, Jumaa said: “I believe that all the players with whom the Club has recently contracted are reliable. They can contribute to achieving the aspirations of the fans of Al Ain, and they will prove to all that they are worthy of wearing Al Ain shirt. Certainly, they will receive the required support from us as players and from the loyal fans of Al Ain”.
Offensive Tendency
Regarding his low scores as a defender, he said: “Leaving the Academy to the top team in 2015, Ismail Ahmed and Muhannad Al-Enezi were there at the time. As they are there, no player else has a room. I had to be at the centre back, deprived of offensive runs, like the two defenders, but I have developed myself and I promise you to score in the next matches”.
Memorable Situation
Asked about the most prominent situations he has been through as a footballer, he said: “I went through one that I cannot forget with Al Ain fans, to whom, after Allah Almighty, I owe the credit, for developing my performance. At the time, I played my first match in the top team. It was against Al Wehda. I did very well. That was in 2016. I received an extraordinary encouragement and support from Al Ain’s fans, to the extent that I got the title of Ramos the Emirates. The match followed was against Al Wehda as well, and we lost 2-5. I showed bad level and caused two goals into our net, so I received harsh criticism that pushed me to delete my Twitter and Instagram accounts. I do believe that Al Ain fans can send you to the top or push you to quit football. But through the experience I have gained in the past years, I see Al Ain’s fans are very kind and wonderful and seek the good of the players”.
Lesson Learned
On the most important lessons he learned, he said: “I remember in our match against Esteghlal of Iran, at their stadium in the first leg of the round of 16 in the AFC Champions League in the knockout system, I showed wonderful performance, but I got a red card ten minutes before the game ended. Soon later, Goalkeeper Khaled Issa came to me and told me that we would win the second leg in Al Ain City, and asked me not to feel sad because I really felt heartbroken and guilty after the game ended 1-0 for the Iranian team’s sake. I said to myself that I was responsible for that defeat, but thanks to Allah, we won in the second leg6-1. It is lesson that I learned a lot from”.
Number 44
When asked about his love for number 44, he said: “Personally, I consider this number as an inheritance from my older brother and my role model, Fares Jumaa, as an older brother and a hard defender. I told him before he left the Club that I would get the number 44, and he said to me: It is yours. I have been keeping it ever since”.
Best Defender
On who the best defender in the UAE League is in his view, he said: “In my point of view, the best defenderis Bandar Al-Ahbabi. He is a perfect defensive player and shows offensive level as well, which made him the best defender during the past two seasons and the one prior, so he is worth the best defender title”.
VAR
When asked about the update he wishes, he said: “I shall be honest to answer this question, but I hope no one will be upset with me. I believe that the Video Review Technology “VAR” holds greater harm than benefit to the players in the field. I am talking here about our league, because the delay in reviewing the situation may sometimes go for about ten minutes, which negatively affects the enthusiasm of the players in the field, and they need time to return again to the confrontation mood, so I hope that the referee’s VAR use mechanism should be reconsidered”.
International List
On the international badge he had previously obtained, he said: “Playing with the national team is such a greathonor for any footballer worldwide. I am well aware of what I should do to return to the list of our national team. I am currently working on intensifying my efforts, and God willing, I will return. I am now doing hard work with the training to return soon to the international list.
Outstanding Goals
Regarding the two goals he scored in the official matches for Al Ain and that are the closest to him, he said: “I have nothing but them, and they both have a special place in my heart, because the football player’s joy is equal to that of the fans. My goal against Kalbateam found the net in the last minutes and declared Al Ain team as the winner. As for the FC PakhtakorTashkent, it was a super goal that also found the net in the last minutes and qualified us for the group stage. It is a goal very close to my heart, and the fans were so fair to me, and the comments went so great at the time”.
Best Goalkeeper
Asked about the best goalkeeper in our league, he said: “There is no better goalkeeper than Khaled Issa.Although he is not tall enough, he enjoys high flexibility and extraordinary reaction. His jumping factor is very remarkable, and his hand and foot saves are unique. He has got capabilities that are better than those of some players, and what he did in the FIFA Club World Cup is an example, especially since he served as the half the team and with the national team as well. With all due respect to all the goalkeepers, Issais no doubt the best”.
Feeling Victim of Injustice
Asked if he has ever felt that football has been unfair to him, he said: “Football is unfair to all. The player is required to do hard work, and when he gets the break, he should not let it slip out of his hands. For me, I have never felt a victim of injustice, and whenever I work hard, I get my chance to play“.
Spain Camp
On the camp’s ambiences, he said: “This camp is considered the most challenging for me over my eight years in Al Ain’s top team. The coach is so strict, and I am a comfort lover. Day exercise is tough and exhausting, and yet we have made great gains. We used to have the basic exercise always in the evening, but that time, our exercise under the scorching sun was the basic one. The coach is well aware of what he plans to and what his team lacks, so he works to get it full. This season will be exceptional, God willing”.
Al Ain Nation
Jumaa wrapped up saying: “Al Ain nation does not need a call to side with the team because they are always by our side. I assure them that what happened last season will never happen again, and we shall make them delighted and happy, God willing”.
