Kuumar Shyam (ABU DHABI)
The national team coach Paulo Bento has once again made his stand clear that he will go with players who are committed to give their all in international matches rather than star names.
The manager's responses have come in reaction to fans reacting emotionally at the continued absence of UAE's leading goalscorer Ali Mabkhout and the recent overlooking of Ali Saleh when the squad for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup was made on Saturday.
Also known as the Zain Khaleeji Cup from this year, the tournament is due to be held in Kuwait from December 21 to January 3. Bento did not even call up Mabkhout for the six matchdays in the concurrent third stage of the Asian qualifying route to the 2026 World Cup. Ali Saleh opted out injured midway but Bento was quoted in the news conference before the fifth round against Kyrgyzstan that he did not think the injury was serious.
The UAE are in third spot from Group A on the Road to 2026 with 10 points, behind Iran and Uzbekistan, with the top two teams securing automatic berths and a play-off route for the third-placed teams. While the World Cup qualifiers will resume only in March, many fans expected that the aforementioned players will be back on national duty for the Gulf Cup with regional pride at stake.
However, Bento remains steadfast in his approach, according to a Telecom Asia Sport report referring to his comments to Abu Dhabi Sports.
Bento has stated earlier, too, that some players will need to re-establish their fitness and ethics in training and with their clubs on the domestic front. Mabkhout is also UAE's most successful player in Gulf Cup's history with 13 goals.
Bento's squad includes nine players who have been granted Emirati citizenship after meeting the necessary requirements. "We have been creating a good team," Bento said.
"The spirit of the team is the most important, so we call the guys that really want to represent the national team; sometimes even the ones with lesser talent but the right desire will get the opportunity to perform."
The coach reiterated that success for him goes beyond tactical considerations. "We can see the development of the team in many tactical aspects, but especially in the behaviour they show. I think we have done a good job in making the team selections."
Fans on social media are also divided by the chop-and-change policy of Bento even during the crucial World Cup campaign. The manager has, on multiple occasions, defended the approach. There are two new names in the current squad – Lucas Pimenta and Solomon Soso.
After the last game against Qatar, which the UAE won convincingly 5-0 to add to a 3-1 victory away, Bento told Aletihad: "The players picked are there for a reason, but we will not play them just for the sake of it. It will depend on their roles we see in the team and not at the cost of those who have been with us in whole."
Some fans, meanwhile, still are not convinced, and are speculating on social media that the Portuguese coach may be be risking his career with such decisions.
Yet, the UAE remains a strong contender for the title in the 26th Gulf Cup, a tournament they won in 2007 and 2013. The UAE play Qatar among the opening day action in Kuwait City on Saturday.