Ok, new thread for a tournament that will happen. 2009 thread can be found here https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=400544&page=11 has a few references to this edition. The following nations I believe have not entered: Algeria Jordan Comoros Djibouti Mauritania Morocco Palestine Somalia Qatar Disappointed in particular to see the lesser nations not bothering to enter. I do believe again with these withdrawals that we will go straight through to the finals to be played in Saudi Arabia in June. Seedings: Pot A: Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Libya Pot B: Iraq, Oman, Kuwait Pot C: Bahrain, Lebanon, Sudan Pot D: Syria, UAE, Yemen So, the finals will feature 3 groups of 4 teams.
Groups (me thinks) A: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Palestine B: Bahrain, Libya, Morocco, Yemen C: Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan
Druryfire got the groups correctly. Kuwait are sending the first team, seeing as we have nothing else to play for LOL.
They released a statement saying that it will still be going ahead, regardless of UAE's withdrawal. http://www.uafaonline.com/?module=news&page=details_ar&id=3714
What a joke! Even the Saudis don't want to send their first team and it's their god damn tournament! This could be a really great tournament if somebody would just put two minutes aside and organize it properly. Some ground rules for future editions of the tournament - Do not hold a football competition in the middle of the summer in Saudi Arabia. Bad Idea. - Don't hold it in the middle of World Cup Qualifying when 5 Arab sides are still competing in Asia and the entire African contingent is still alive. What should happen: Hold it in the summer, in a place with reasonable temperatures, the year after the World Cup. The FAs would be 1000 times more interested in an opportunity to experiment in a tournament atmosphere whilst building their sides ahead of WCQ. Anyway I think Palestine could win this thing. Ramzi Saleh in goal with Omar Jarun and Abdelatif Bahdari in front of him (first time that's ever happened!). Alexis Norambuena has been called up as well and is a great Leftback. Plenty of options in midfield as well!
Nice blog RedStriker. There are virtually no English sources of information about the competition so it's being largely overlooked here (especially as the Euros are on).
weather is not the problem in Tiaf , abha , asir ..etc but the problem the host cities will be Taif and Jeddah Saudi Arabian National Team started preparing for the tourny . this championship will be good.
It's a pity they've organized at the same time the Euros are going on. I don't even think local populations will be interested in watching this tournament with some mouth-watering Euro quarterfinals competing for air time.
Only 5 games on the same days. Surely this wouldn't cause to miss disrupton? Why not watch the Lebanon - Sudan match before the build up to the Euro semi match on the 27th for instance?
Hi friend, do you have finalized team selections for Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc.? Thanks in advance.
Iraq Squad for the Arab Nations Cup Goalkeepers: Mohammed Hameed (Al-Shorta) Mohammed Gassid (Al-Talaba) #Note Noor Sabri (Najaf) Defenders: Ahmad Ibrahim (Arbil) Bassim Abbas (Baghdad) #Note Salam Shakir (Al-Khor, Qatar) #Note Samal Saeed (Free Agent) #Note Hussam Kadhim (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) Waleed Bahar (Al-Shorta) Ali Bahjat (Dohuk) Midfielder: Qusay Munir (Baghdad) #Note Fareed Majeed (Al Shorta) Karrar Jassim (Ajman, UAE) #Note Mahdi Karim (Arbil) Muthana Khalid (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) #Note Ibrahim Kamil (Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya) Abbas Rehema (Najaf) Ahmed Yasin (Örebro SK, Sweden) #Note Forwards: Hammadi Ahmad (Al Quwa Al Jawiya) #Note Mustafa Karim (El-Ittihad El-Iskandary, Egypt) #Note Ali Salah Hashem (Free Agent) #Note Alaa Abdul-Zahra (Qatar SC, Qatar) Notes: 1. Red Color: Eyes on (New comers - Excellent players) 2. Blue Color: Eyes on (Finally & Hopefully they will take their full chance with the National team) 3. Green Color: Regular Starters with Zico 4. Zico Dropped from the list our best Striker Younis Mahmoud, Best Midfielder Nashat Akram & Best Defender Ali Rehema. among other effective players Like Emad Mohammed and Hawar Mulla Mohammed.
it's unfortunate Frank Rijkaad decided to select a B squad with many young players and old players who are searching for a chance to prove themselves . this a result from pressure from the local clubs ... they pressured him to no end ... we want to prepare our best players for the next season they say ! why not field the A team ? they have nothing to do :<.
The announcer was pretty adamant that the coach, Goran (or w/e), was going to get sacked soon after the match. Tbh I didn't see much talent from the Kuwaitis themselves... (sorry Kutsuit )