If this tournament was to qualify us for the Olympics like it was in 2016, then I would understand bringing the best possible players. But the tournament means nothing this year. All the other countries are using it to give a chance for their younger players, whereas we are playing established national team players like Bashar Rasan, Ayman Hussein, Alaa Mhawi etc. What good is this tournament for them? They are already established international players. It's not helping their career in the slightest whereas it could have been such a good opportunity for other players that aren't in the national team yet. It's infuriating to see how we always fail to make the most of youth tournaments like these and instead just go all out to try and win it with players that are most likely not even under 23.
There is nothing to gain. Players like Ayman, Mhawi and Hussein Ali are NT players now. All they have is experience against youth teams, they won't develop. This is all on Shahad. He is stubborn and only thinks about personal success. He is not the right manager for the Olympic team.
Well deserved. I'm glad we are out of the tournament. Let the players return to their clubs. We wasted an opportunity to try out new players. Again, this is all on the FA and Shahad.
From Iraqfpg: Farhan Shakur, like Muhannad Abdul Raheem, is using a different name than his real one. He's using his brother's ID and his real name is Ahmed Shakur and was born in 1990 instead of 1996. The guy is spending his prime years as a striker playing youth football. Shameless. Aymen Hussein also was born in 92' instead of 96' according to the Iraqi electoral commission.
Yep, that's how messed up our situation is. It's an attitude problem in Iraq. The coach wants to win titles, using overaged players to make it easier. The FA wants to fabricate achievements, they don't care about Iraqi football at all. Hopefully we'll get more coaches like Ali Hadi. He is building a clean generation.
Latest news around 2018 Asian Games: Humam Tariq refused to join the Olympic team. FA accepted this. Good step. Enough is enough. He was with the Olympic team since 2011.
Reports that Iraq is going to participate with the youth team instead of the Olympic team due to age fraud measures
BREAKING: Iraq has withdrawn from the Asian Games as age fraud scandal hits Iraqi football. I'm definitely happy with this and I hope it ends age fraud in Iraq
Our Olympic team is currently in Turkey for a training camp, playing against Turkish clubs and they already beat Alanyaspor and Konyaalti Belediyespor. The team has completely changed. Most of them are expats from Europe. Good signs
Iraq U23 5-0 Yemen U23 Amir Al-Ammari 16, 45 pen, Hussein Jabar 35, Murad Mohammed 70 pen, 83New era for the Iraq FA (free of age-fraud) starts with a victory. Only one player in the U-23 squad with any senior international experience unlike in past when it was the whole team.— Hassanin Mubarak (@hassaninmubarak) March 22, 2019