2013 Gulf Cup Of Nations

Bahrain's last GCON was in 1998 so I guess it is their turn if Iraq is deemed unsafe. Not counting Yemen last year, host nations won 4 of the last 5 GCON - two of those UAE & Oman for the first time, so could this be Bahrain's year?

 

It amazes me how the Iraqi GCN is postponed due to "security concerns", yet the organizers didn't seem to mind giving the 2013 slot to Bahrain instead. The public is well and truly stupefied. This hypocrisy is sickening. In the past year, I've spoken to Bahrainis (either by phone or in person) who weren't capable of holding back their tears when describing their living conditions and mistreatment ever since the 2011 protests started. And yet, here we have heartless tournament organizers who desperately want to show the World that everything's alright, by allowing Bahrain to host nonsensical sports events during troubling times. They've had the ridiculous 2011 GCC Games, 2012 Formula 1 GP and now the 2013 GCN -- three sporting events in the midst of an internal political crisis. My friends and I decided to boycott this joke of a tournament, and we're also going to spread the message. Some of my colleagues in Malta will organize a blog for the sole purpose of exposing this rubbish.

Let me take a wild guess... Bahrain will win this tournament, just like they did in the 2011 GCC Games and 2011 Pan Arab Games football tournaments. Like that's going to shut their people up...

 

salam

i think youre overreacting. im not happy with bahrain government actions but i think youre creating a huge deal.

was there any security problems in gulf games? no
..................................................... in bahrain gp? no

bahrains security issues is nothing like iraqs security issues.
and whats your point in the last part? do you think therell be cheating? do you think bahrain can only win with cheating? just asking

 

AFAIK the excuse for changing venue is that Basrah wasn't going to have the stadium finished in time (in true Arab tradition, the Iraqis are building a ridiculous grandiose sports city).

But yeah... the tournament is a joke and, without going into politics, the situation in Bahrain is tragic. But what can you do

 

Group A is very balanced will be hard to say who is going to win that one... I think maybe Oman & Bahrain to progress... in Group B I reckon it's Saudi & Iraq to progress but you never know with the GCN it's always difficult to call..

 

THE Bahrain national soccer team were drawn in Group A along with Oman, Qatar and the UAE during a ceremony last night at the National Museum to decide the groupings for the 21st Gulf Cup.
Group B consists of defending champions Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
The Gulf Cup will be held in Bahrain from January 5 to 18, 2013.
The official mascot "Strength in Unity" was also unveiled on the occasion.
President of the Bahrain Football Association and head of the organising committee Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed the attendees and wished them a good stay in Bahrain.
Bahrain take on Oman in the opening match on January 5 while Qatar clash with the UAE in the second match. Kuwaiti take on Yemen and Saudi Arabia meet Iraq on January 6.
Matches will be held at the National Stadium and Shaikh Khalifa Sports City Stadium.
Earlier in the afternoon, the organising committee held a Press conference at the Diplomat Hotel to discuss the latest preparations being made to host this prestigious tournament.


http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=340040

 

I just hope all teams send there A- teams to this competiton

 

This may be a silly question, but who organises the competition ? UAFA?

 

I think druryfire is right. The Gulf Cup of Nations is a GCC initiative. It's a cultural and geopolitical festival more than anything. Sure, Iraq and Yemen were invited into the football tournament, but the core principle behind this biannual event is supposedly GCC unity, which is extremely ironic.

 

Overreacting? Tell that to the people in Sitra who have been under siege for the past couple of months.

Do I think Bahrain can only win by resorting to cheating? Of course not; but I've been a suspicious person ever since their 10-0 victory over Indonesia. It cant get more obvious than that.

 

Gulf Cup website

http://www.gulfcup21.bh/

 

TICKETS READY * 2,500 visas issued for Gulf Cup delegations
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=344263

 

Teams Preview from My Side-
Group A: Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, UAE

• Bahrain - The host nation has advantage in playing in there home turf. Though not clear favourites but are hot contenders as history speaks in Gulf Cup that host nations are the dark horses. The team had good preparation in WAFF where they qualfied to the Semis.
• Oman- The top favourites to qualify from the group and to the final too. The team is flying high in recent days after qualifying for the first time to the final qualifiers in WCQ. Ali Habsi, Ahmed Hadid and Imad Hosni are the players to watch out for.
• Qatar - Underdogs as usual. Might pull out surprise. Lost to Egypt in prepartory. WCQ is goin stable for them so far. Sebastian Soria, jaralla Maralli and wesam Rizk to watch out for.
• UAE - The team is rising and another top favourite to advance along with Oman in this group. The young talent is amazing and Holding a bright future. Having played in Olympics the team holds a huge confidence in them and can shock everyone. Ismail Matar, Hamdan Kamali are the players to look out for.

Group B: Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen

• Kuwait - Holding record number of titles this team are unpredictable. Winners in the last edition will desperate to defend the title. Bader Mutawa and Fahad Al Anzi to watch.
• Iraq - The title contenders everytime in the tourney but slip away in the later stages. Finallist in the WAFF Championship , the team looks promising and are clear favourites. Grouped along with Kuwait, KSA and Yemen they have to work hard to progress.
• Yemen - The underdogs in the tournament. Can give headache to other teams. Did not perform well in the WAFF and low in confidence.
• KSA - The all time favourites in every edition of Gulf Cup. The team has lost its form and are desperate to win it back by wiining the title. Things seem to be in track when the team outplayed Argertina in friendly. Yasser and Nawaf Abed to watch out for in the team

 

Iraq squad for the Gulf Cup 2013
and Hakeem Shaker brought more of his boys to the First National team

Goalkeepers:
1. Jalal Hassan
12. Mohammed Hameed (Youth team captain)
22. Noor Sabri

Defenders:
2. Ahmad Ibrahim
3. Ali Bahjat
5. Mohammed Jabbar Rabat (Youth team)
6. Ali Adnan (Youth team)
14. Salam Shakir
15. Ali Rehema
19. Mustafa Nadhim (Youth team)
20. Dhurgham Ismail (Youth team)
23. Waleed Salem

Midfielders:
4. Khaldoun Ibrahim
8. Saif Salman
9. Ahmed Yasin
11. Humam Tariq (Youth team)
13. Nabeel Sabah
17. Alaa Abdul-Zahra
21. Ahmad Abbas Hattab (Youth team)

Forwards:
7. Hammadi Ahmad
10. Younis Mahmoud
16. Mohannad Abdul-Raheem (Youth team)
18. Hussam Ibrahim

 

Saudi Arabia squad is fearsome. With this squad they should win it.

 

HT: KSA 0 - 1 IRQ

 

FT: KSA 0-2 Iraq

 

Kuwait 2-0 Yemen