Ahmed Barman: I’m upset with myself, never withothers… Al Ain’s fans are like a family to me. I owe them a lot
Ahmed Barman… Star of THE BEST
Getting criticized, not insulted, is in my favor, and in my team’s too.
While facing River Plate, I made my hardest decision over my career.
No room for disregard in Al Ain, reward and punishment is the policy.
Avoiding last season’s mistake, and resolved to win all the challenges with my teammates, is a promise I have made.
If we successfully go with our current coach’s thoughts and plans, you will eye a completely different team.
Midfielder is sometimes victim of injustice, and achievement with the selection brings national happiness
In the world of football, there are experts specialized in evaluating and analyzing the footballers, seeing them as more productive and helpful to the team system than others, and describing them as unknown soldiers who are part and parcel of the list of their choices, and sometimes the vision of coaching staff contradicts that of the fans.
The guest of “THE BEST”, whether we agree or disagree, remains one of the most important midfielders in the country. Last season, he was attacked by some unknown people, but he stood up to it supported by the fans of Al Ain and his teammates, which is not weird as he is a member of the Al Ainfamily. He is our brilliant player, Ahmed Barman. In his interview with THE BEST, he spoke openly and spontaneously, as if his answer went out of his heart heading right into the purple-loving hearts, as following:
High Trust
Brilliant player, Ahmed Barman, Al Ain’s midfielder, asserted that the high trust that his team has been receiving from 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, and the continuous consideration and unlimited support of 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, are great motives for all the elements of the team,achieving the desired ambitions in the new football season.
Best Goal
Answering a question on the best goal he scored over his football career, Barman said: “I have some goals that I find important, but I think that my goal into the UAE Emirates’ net is one of the most important goals for the team, especially as we won the league title in that season“.
People of Al Ain
Asked about moving from Fujairah to Al Ain Club Academy at the age of 15, he answered: “I shall be honest to say that it is not easy to move from one emirate to another at the age of 15 to practice football.Very few players can quite go with that. Still, the nature of the city and its people pushed me to live in Dar Al-Zain. Moreover, Al Ain Club has a special status and a magnificent and crystal clear strategy with regard to nurturing football talents, based on the one-family principle, so I was able to carry forward to what I am now, thanks to Allah Almighty first, and then people of Al Ain”.
Best Championship
On the championship closest to his heart, he said: “Truly lucky is a player granted the opportunity to join the fabric of Al Ain and wear this emblem. When your name is associated with Al Ain, you are qualified to chalk up the achievements and step onto the podiums in every season, which normal for any football player belonging to a prestigious club. With Al Ain, I have had about ten championships in addition to the world runner-up title. The championships closest to my heart are the ones in which we won the historic double when we combined the two championships of league and the preciousPresident Cup for the first time in the Club’s history, the Cup of His Highness the President of the State, may Allah protect him, in 2017- 2018 season“.
International List
On his return to the international list, he said: “It is certain that choosing any footballer on the international list is of a paramount importance to him, as great aspirations are always associated withinternational challenges. We play in order to have the honor of defending the national team’s shirt. With the first call-up to the international list, the player remains eager to get back to it. I hope that we will becomestandout in defending the name of Emirati football, achieve the aspirations of our leadership, and bring joy and happiness to the entire people of the UAE. Hence, I would like to underscore that the sense of responsibility is the footballer’s weapon to go on to obtain the international badge and show persistence when he is associated with the national team. Make sure that the achievement brings national happiness, and we always look forward to showing the best of ourselves for the sake of the homeland”.
Criticism Taken
Asked about how he handles criticism as a professional player, he said: “A footballer is familiar with criticism, and we are required to learn from the lessons and challenges we experience. We take the positives and turn a blind eye to the negatives, because they are destructive at the psychological level. Whoever turns into a hostage to the negatives, will fail to keep going with his football career for sure. Getting criticized, not insulted, is absolutely in your favor”.
No Room for Disregard
Asked to describe disregard, he said: “Everybody is well aware that there is no room for disregard in Al Ain Club. Showing disregard causes the player harmin the first place, and he has to wait for the punishment, as reward and punishment is the Club’s policy. However, sometimes the player works hard, but they cannot catch the break. Win and loss is in the hands of Allah. We have to do what we are called upon, and we always ask Allah Almighty for success”.
Feeling Upset Exists
Asked about how much he feels upsets with criticism, he said: “I do feel upset, not with fans or criticism, but rather with myself. Fans are mainly behind the developed performance of Barman and every single player in Al Ain. It is them who blessed me with support and encouragement, and I cannot be upset with them”.
Important Challenge
On the most important challenges that he has benefited from in his career, Barman said: “Challenges are many, but I made a promise to perform as strong as I could so I would avoid last season’s mistake when we lost championships that we should not have lost. As long as you are dressed in Al Ain Club’s uniform, make sure you can overcome all challenges”.
Midfielder… Victim of Injustice
Asked if he sees the midfielder as a victim of injustice, he said: “Sometimes he is, I think. He is responsible for the linking process in the middle of the field at the offensive and defensive levels, and a mistake he may make at some point, sometimes cannot be irrecoverable, unlike the striker. Yet, modern football is played as an integrated system, in which each player in the squad definitely has defensive and offensive roles to play, and we complement each other in this system”.
Hardest Decision
When asked about the hardest t decision he has ever made over his career, he said: “I believe it was in our match against River Plate. I was injured and I wanted to keep going. The coach then told me I could go on or get switched. I said to myself I would go on, until Khaled Issa came to me and told me not to take the risk, so I decided to leave though I was eager not to do, feeling fully able to complete the match”.
Scoring into Al Ain Net
On the two goals he scored against Al Ain last season, he said: “I was mad at myself the most as I said earlier. Perhaps in the Al Wehda match, competition was for the first round, but the goal I scored in the Baniyas match came at the end of the league. I was mad at myself and felt sorry for my team’s effort that went in vain, but it sometimes happens in football”.
Best Coach
Asked who the best coach has been, he said: “Professional coaches are many, beginning with Cosmin Olăroiu of Romania, who trained me for six months, and then Zlatko Dalić and his compatriot Zoran Mamić of Croatia. Personally, I see them among the best coaches I have trained under. The rest are professional for sure“.
Camp Ambiences
On the Spain camp’s ambiences, he said: “I believe that the current camp totally differs from all the external training camps that Al Ain Team has been to, regardless of the place; Spain, Austria, or others, asthe sense of responsibility is the title of everyone’s performance in the camp. If we successfully go with our current coach’s thoughts and plans as required, you will eye a completely different team”.
Al Ain Fans
“Al Ain fans are the first and key supporters. See how tremendous their number is. I really cannot thank them enough. What they offer us is unspeakable. We hope we can please them in the new season”.
