Mohammed Ahmad: I Am Not A Moody Player and Never Upset by Criticism.. The Boss Overcome All Challenges in FIFA Club World Cup- UAE 2018 by Strong Personality
I Did Not Plan to Score Against Al Wahda and My Goal in FIFA Club World Cup- UAE 2018 is Stamped on My Memory
Leko Enjoys the Spirit of Enthusiasm and Able to Get the Team’s Targets Done
If Injured 99 Times Against Australia National Team, I Will Never Hesitate to Play Against them for the 100 Times
Pros of Social Media Are More than Its Cons
We are All Looking Forward to Winning All Titles of the New Season
Achieved Several Titles with the Boss in the Past 7 Years and So eager to Win More
In a press interview with the official website of the Al Ain FC, Al Ain defender Mohammed Ahmad known with his popular nickname “Bambo” hailed his teammates’ impressive level of enthusiasm and passion to gain the desired benefits out of the current pre-season away summer training camp heled in Austria. He pointed out: “I do believe it is one of the best pre-season preparation camps ever, given the the high level of enthusiasm I could observe among the young players. It is a fact that all the players are pushing themselves to the limit to book a place in the starting lineup considering the big names and stars that the team has and who enjoy the quality and added-value skills. I like the spirit of optimism that dominate the atmosphere of the camp.”
In response to a question on his own rehabilitation program dedicated to make him ready to play friendly matches with the team, he said: “Thank God that all is going well and on the right track. As you know, I experienced the same injury previously and I can tell you that I based on my past experience I am well and in an excellent condition and fully ready to join the team again though I suffered from minor pains in the outset of the camp. I have an appointment with my surgeon in Croatia and by 1st of August I will finish the six months of recovery and the rehabilitation treatment prior join the team’s collective training sessions along with my teammates.”
Commenting on the new star players signed to the team recently, he said: “Al Ain has certainly concluded the best deals this summer and has succeeded in bringing on board the best quality foreign players: Laba, Meziane and Caio who are known for their great and quality skills and high fighting spirit, in addition to the best local players: Mohammed Jamal, Mohamed Shaker and Mohamed Hilal. This is a positive move and will further boost the spirit of competition among the team’s players and add more to the strength of the team. I do hope that we will be lucky enough to win all titles of tournaments we are scheduled to be part of in a genuine translation of all the generous support and care of the club’s leadership.”
Mohammed Ahmad is so thankful for completing full seven years with the Boss squad and said it was his dream to join the first football team since he was playing for the junior teams. “Most importantly, during these years wearing the Boss badge, I contributed to winning several titles and above all I have signed my new 5 years contract recently. I wish to win more titles by the end of my 12 years with the club as I am really enjoying the best years of my career here in Al Ain Club and even spend more time with the team than that I spend with my family members.”
“Al Ain proved it is a big club that might get sick but it does not die,” Bambo commented on a question about the team’s poor results in the past season 2018/ 2019. He added: “When many agreed that the team will not perform well in the FIFA Club World Cup, all speculations were negative as the team’s performed honorably in that championship. The Boss squad revealed their genuine and strong personality and ended up as runners up of the champs, Real Madrid, though we could do better and achieve a strong result compared the team’s extraordinary performance and the one team spirit. Definitely, Al Ain was able to write a new history locally and at the Gulf level by such a great and remarkable achievement.”
On his important goals he scored during his career with the Boss squad, he said: “Undoubtedly, scoring goals in football is attributed to skills and being lucky to do so. Personally, I work hard to boost my performance during the team’s training sessions. It is not a secret anyway to tell that the goal I scored against Al Wahda was no more than being lucky to do so. I decide to move forward with the ball in front of me and found myself penetrating the lines flawlessly until the moment I sent the ball by my left leg to the farthest corner. I did not plan to score but I am sure that fans’ sincere love to me and dedicated support were behind scoring such a super goal, as well as the other two goals I scored against Al Shabab and Emirates teams. I believe that the most important goal I scored during my whole career was the fastest in the FIFA Club World Cup- UAE against Esperance Tunisia.”
His response to the question on his goals and his great relationship with the fans, led to another question on his assessment of his relationship with the Ainawi fans. He stated: “I always put myself in the place of any fan who wants to communicate with a player and is waiting for his response. I always seek to interact with the fans through the social media platforms or off the field because I consider myself one of them and indeed it is my nature that I like to interact and communicate with everybody.”
He went on to say: “Social media has its own pros and cons, but the most prominent advantage they offer you is that they make you so close to your fans, while the negatives include addressing insult but covered by a style of criticism. However, I am players who accept and understand the purpose criticism, particularly when it is addressed by a fan who is in the hunt to serve the best interest of the team and players. Meanwhile, there are limits and sometimes I do not react to any them, considering that I work hard to maintain my high level of performance.” Bambo put an accent on the fact that he is not a moody player and that criticism does not bother him. He extended his sincere thanks to all those who offer him advice and criticize him to avoid any weak points.
Bambo stated that the FIFA Club World Cup- UAE 2018 was the most important championship he took part in. “We experienced a great atmosphere full of exceptional challenges and pressures. We played great matches with standings full with massive numbers of loyal fans that attracted the attention of international media. Everybody’s heart was with the Boss as the sole representative of UAE and the team was up to the expectations despite the unfavorable speculations with regard to the team’s performance against top teams of the world. However, factors of excitement and thrill were present at every moment of the tournament and personally I like playing in such atmosphere.”
“The most difficult moments I have had in my career was leaving the squad due to injury, especially I felt I was needed to be with my teammates in the field. The saddest moments I experienced was in the final match of the AFC Champions League 2016. At that time, I was watching the match form the fans standings due to the cruciate ligament surgery I had and also a year before it I suffered from the same injury and was off the field for a long period at the time the team needs my services,” he said in response to a question on the toughest times he experienced in his career.
Mohammed Ahmad described his first meeting with the new head coach Ivan Leko by the great one. “In my first meeting with Croatian head coach Ivan Leko, he told me he is waiting impatiently to see me join the squad. This incite any player’s motivation and push him to boost his efforts to meet the expectations of the coach.”
He hailed the manners and style of the new head coach by stating that he is a good coach enjoying high spirit of enthusiasm and know ho to deal with all players. “He seeks to remove all barriers between him and the players and treat them all equally with no any preferential treatment. He is always encouraging and supporting the squad and everybody feel satisfied by his style of training and manners,” he said.
Mohammed Ahmad signed off by stressing that he believes that the team will achieve the goals of the club and win more titles under his command.
ON THE MARGIN
• Thanks for all administrative officers, coaches, players, fans and friends who always stood next to me at all times.
• I wish to rejoin the UAE National Football Team sooner and pray to Allah Almighty to grant my “international” teammates success.
• It is my “fate” to suffer twice from an injury in my cruciate ligament while playing against the Australian National Team. If Injured 99 times against them, I will never hesitate to play the 100th match.
• It is my life time wish to win the title of the AFC Champions League with Al Ain FC.
• We all look forward to making the Ainawi Nation happy by clinching more titles and waiting for their massive support this coming season.
