Slovak’s Media Acclaims Well-Honed Hazza bin Zayed International Junior Football Tournament.. Sultan Rashed: Acclaims Are an Extra Merit Medal Added to U-16 Tournament
Slovak’s Press Lionize MŠK Žilina Juniors and Describe them as Champs
Slovak’s press highly praised MŠK Žilina U-16 football team following winning the title of the 10th edition of Hazza bin Zayed International Junior Football Tournament and the team’s superior appearance and preparation and availed the opportunity to commend the well-honed Hazza bin Zayed International Junior Football Tournament.
Noteworthy, Slovak’s MŠK Žilina clinched the title after beating Real Betis in the final match held Sunday 15th April at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium by 2-1. Žilina players were awarded the trophy, gold medals and $10,000 prize. Real Betis football team was granted silver medals and a prize of $5,000.
“Sport” Newspaper selected the title of “The Champs Back with Trophy” celebrating their win. The official website of the Slovak club dedicated pages to cover the event and its great moments and lionize the team’s players nicknamed Šošoni (after the Shoshone Native American tribe) who turned back holding the title and trophy of the intense and prestigious competition dedicated for junior footballers according to their website. The website also hailed the players for a job well done along with the team’s technical staff and goalkeeper Lobo Belko, who won the Best Goalkeeper Award.
Sultan Rashid, Member of Board of Directors of Al Ain Club Football Company, said: “The 10th edition of Hazza Bin Zayed International Junior Football Tournament 2018 has been successful in terms of technical and organizational aspects. Al Ain Club has been competing with itself to organize such tournaments and we do hope that the next editions of the tournament will continue to be well-organized more than this edition.”
During a meeting with the press representatives following the end of the tournament, he said: “The HZB International Football Tournament achieved remarkable successes by all standards, the technical level of the teams was respectable and the organizational aspects were impressive. Indeed, Al Ain Club has taken lots of advantages and earn numerous gains inside and outside the pitch.” He added: “We are so proud of all our staff who were able to manage and organize the activities of the tournament and make it looks elegant that matches the dearest name it holds. We even look forward to organizing more tournaments with high and better levels of organization as we are competing with ourselves to achieve the highest levels.”
Responding to a question on his own technical assessment of the tournament and the level of the teams that participated in the current version, he said: “The teams provided high technical levels throughout all the matches. In my opinion Spain’s Real Betis Spain Slovak’s MŠK Žilina deserved to reach the final match, given the superior levels they exhibited during the group stage and the semifinal matches.” he pointed out: “We have a close relationship with the Slovakian MŠK Žilina team as Al Ain’s junior teams have already had their summer camp there and played against MŠK Žilina U-15 and U-16.”
“Real Betis team’s participation has been also effective, and we can say that Spain’s clubs have shown a decent technical level in all previous editions of the tournament, including Valencia, Atletico Bilbao, Espanyol and Atletico Madrid. Real Betis performed well in their first and second matches, contrary to their third match. In general, the team has notable elements that will have a future in Real Betis FC and the national team,” added he.
The Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of the Tournament added on the technical levels of the participating clubs by saying: “Al Ain team who stepped off the first showed a promising good level. despite this fact that the team did not show the expected level, players gained great benefits and we also have spotted a number of players in the backline who we in deep need for them in the first team. However, they need at the moment moral support and technical and physical training.”
Sultan Rashid sent special messages to Al Ain and Al Jazeera players who participated in the tournament: “The future is still there for the young players to reach a higher stage of professionalism. At the moment, it is not necessary to win titles and championships, but to help players to be professional and skillful to join their clubs and national team. A young player needs more attention as per a well thought out training programs.” He added: “As for Al Jazira’s players, they enjoy quality skills and we are accustomed that Al Jazira Club to prepare first-class young players and offer them opportunities to join the first team as we have seen in the past years.”
“It is true that we are experiencing the professionalism era and every team is resolute to win titles, so any player of the academy must realize the importance of this aspect and prepare himself in the right and proper technical manner and be a high quality professional player,” said he in response to a question on the possibility of promoting players who exhibited distinguished performance during the tournament to the first team in the coming period.
He went on to say: “If we scrutinize the list of Al Ain First Team, we will find that the team has a group of elite players, including nine players playing for UAE National Team as well as Egypt’s Hussein El Shahat and Sweden Marcus Berg these players are the backbone of the team and any young player should do his best to improve his skills and abilities to match the level of these players.”
Sultan Rashid unveiled that the Board of Directors has already developed a policy on the promotion of more than one player in the future. He stated: “Al Ain Football Academy is currently seeking to clinch titles and strive to have a group of excellent players. Indeed, this is considered an achievement by itself.” He also pointed underlined: “The supervisors of the first team, including H.E. Mohammed Obaid Hammad, Supervisor of the First and Reserved teams, Matar Al Sahbani, Team Manager, Issam Abdullah, Team Administrative Manager and Croatia’s Head Coach Zoran Mamic are following up constantly so as to have more than one player in the first team in the coming years.”
Commenting on a question on the level of advantages gained out of the tournament in terms of enhancing relationships with the participating clubs, the Board of Directors Member stated: “Gains were not only limited to technical advantages, but also extended to administrative gains and establishing strong relationships with the clubs that were present in the tournament. For example, we have concluded many workshops during the days of the tournament attended by the head coaches of the participating teams where they exchanged expertise.”
“On the other hand, we had UK’s Everton Club approval to receive 12 players from Al Ain’s junior teams during the summer to paly with the different teams of Everton Club. Also, we received a similar approval from Real Betis Club to receive a number of Al Ain Football Academy’s before the kickoff of the next season,” said he.
He added: “We have currently direct communication with Slovakia’s MŠK Žilina Club to extend invitation for Al Ain junior teams to participate in the tournaments scheduled to be held in Slovakia during the summer period with the participation of international clubs. I believe this is a direct result of organizing HBZ International Junior Tournament and will reflect positively on Al Ain Club different junior teams and will be a great opportunity for the players to be introduced to international atmospheres either through spending the time with MŠK Žilina Club teams or through participation in foreign tournaments.”
As for a question on the extent to which the Al Ain Club has benefited from the decision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE, on the participation of children of Emirati women and holders of passports which are under process, as well as those born in the UAE in sports competitions, he said: “In the past, we have worked to attract a large number of players and a total number of 750 players of different nationalities participated in the tests managed by our committees. The tests were held on a weekly basis by qualified coaches who selected 25 players among this huge number and the final number of players of different nationalities is 18.”
Sultan Rashid stated: “The team is currently participating in a friendly tournament organized by Al Wahda Club and is performing well so far and will join the Academy’s teams next year.” He signed off by saying: “I invite any player who desires to undergo the tests held by Al Ain Club to attend them directly and our doors are open for all. Indeed, a player is given several tests prior taking a final decision on his level of skills.”
