Courtesy:
The AFC.comAl Rayyan official confident of successSunday, 26 June 2011Doha: The spirit with which the players performed to win three domestic titles, the confidence they drew from the triumphs and a strong fan presence should help Al Rayyan win the second edition of the AFC Futsal Club Championship, believes team manager Sheikh Khalid bin Hassan Al Thani.
“What Al Sadd achieved last year (runners-up finish) was great and we mustn’t emulate them, but better their record. It’s a great occasion and I hope every Rayyan fan will come to support us throughout the tournament,” said the official.
The marketing teams of the AFC and Rayyan have been working in unison for the last few weeks to popularise the event and Sheikh Khalid said their efforts should bear fruits.
“The boys have been training hard. Rayyan have had a great season across all sports, and it’s our duty to prove our mettle on the continental stage and keep our national flag flying high,” he said.
“Still, we aren’t nurturing any high hopes. It’s important the players, especially youngsters, don’t get overawed by the occasion.
"Six of our 14-member squad are Qatar internationals and our proven professional players would join them. It’s important they show consistency,” he added.
Courtesy:
The AFC.comLak optimistic of Iran supremacySunday, 26 June 2011Doha: In futsal, Iran is considered as one of the powerhouses in the continent. And Foolad Mahan Sepahan underlined the credentials by winning the inaugural AFC Futsal Club Championship last year. If they had the advantage of playing before a passionate home crowd, the onus is now on Shahid Mansouri to live up to the expectations in away conditions and make sure the coveted shield stays in the country.
And Shahid Mansouri coach Reza Lak is optimistic. At 35, he looks as fit as his wards, and sounded confident of a back-to-back triumph for Iran. In fact, the courage of his convictions must have prompted him not to sign any professional player for the tournament even after knowing that his rivals, including strong title challengers Nagoya Oceans, are relying on foreigners to make the difference.
"It's a great feeling to manage Shahid Mansouri in this championship, where you're up against the cream of Asian futsal. We know everyone rates us one of the favourites. But we don't want to get carried away. The players are aware of their job on hand. The most important thing is to approach it step by step and put up the best performance against every opponent, irrespective of their status. At the moment, I'm concentrating only on the group matches. We must play our natural game and we're confident of doing that," said 35-year-old Reza.
Asked why he decided against recruiting any foreign player, the Iranian said, "Our national League is as good as any other in the world and we believe our players are as competent as any player outside. We've former, current and future Iranian internationals featuring in our lineup. In fact, there're several others who're worth getting a call. Moreover, I decided not to disturb the combination that won the national league. But I believe we've selected the best team, fully aware of the magnitude of such a tournament."
Reza said Iranian futsal was on the right track, but felt it could be made better.
"I think the level of Iranian futsal is pretty good. We're progressing in the right direction too. Still we can improve the level a lot. We need to be lot more organinsed in running the game and must make earnest efforts to export as many players as possible to foreign Leagues," said the coach.
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Luca Ranocchiari -->
luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com
