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Champions aim for encore
The burden of pressure is not something that Al Shabab is looking forward to. As the defending league champions, the club that last season completed its golden jubilee, is all out to go completely green this year, sans the element of pressure.
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:03 September 8, 2008
- Al Shabab celebrate winning the league last season.
- Image Credit: Gulf News archive
Dubai: The burden of pressure is not something that Al Shabab is looking forward to. As the defending league champions, the club that last season completed its golden jubilee, is all out to go completely green this year, sans the element of pressure.
'Going green' is the strap line for the club as they seek to chart out a new destination for its youngsters.
Like last season's league title was more like a bonus for the dedication and the application of all those concerned with the running of the club. "No, we certainly do not want to feel any sort of pleasure as we start the defence of our title this year," insists their Brazilian coach Toninho Cerezo.
"We are a club of champions and we have shown what we are capable of with our performance last season. The only difference is that we will need to go out there on the field and prove ourselves all over again this season."
Cerezo is not one who is alien to winning. Last season, he started on a low profile, taking over reins at a club that had dazzled in parts to deceive as the season progressed. Cerezo used his vast professional experience with club and country to instill belief in a set of talented youngsters.
"We did have our share of problems, especially in the middle of the season last year where individuals started projecting themselves with the success for the team," he says. "My aim was simple: what we wanted to achieve had to be based on teamwork and not on individual brilliance. So curbing individual egos was tough, but we did it and the results showed by the end of the season."
The Al Shabab establishment is more than pleased with the preparations they have had so far leading up to the start of this season. A three-week camp in Italy is being described as the best ever for a long time, and both players and the training staff have been optimistic they will be in a position to peak when it matters most.
"It is a long, long season before us involving four to five competitions. It is going to be a tough year for each of us and we will need to prove what we are capable of throughout the season, not just in one match," says team manager Obaid Al Hubaitha.
"For the time-being we have this sense of believe and confidence to go the full distance and register our club's name as the first winner of the UAE professional league."
It is just a few more days now that we will know what sort of path the club will tread as they take on neighbours and President's Cup winners Al Ahli in their Super Cup season-opening clash on September 14.
Al Shabab are the defending League champions. The pressure is on them to retain the crown they won so heroically last season. But they aim to go out and prove once again that they are the best soccer club in the UAE.
In a spot: What about Awladi?
Suddenly, Iranian professional Mehrdad Awladi has been left without any job.
With the signing of the Brazilian duo Renato and Marcos Assuncao along with Zimbabwean Musa Mguni, Awladi is on the excess list of coach Toninho Cerezo.
"He can play anywhere he wants to. Maybe there is a team in Qatar that may want him and we won't have any problem to let him go after all he is a professional," Cerezo said.
Al Shabab's league win was spear-headed by the Iranian trio of Eman Mob'ali, Jawad Kazemian and Awladi. Mob'ali transferred to Al Wasl while Kazemian has moved on to new entrants Ajman Club this season leaving Awladi as the surplus player with the defending league champions.
FACTFILE
- Established: 1958
- Chairman: Shiekh Saeed Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum
- Nickname: The Slashers
- League champions: Three times – 1989-90; 1994-95; 2007-08.
- President's Cup winners: Four times - 1981, 1990, 1994, 1997.
- GCC Clubs' Champions: 1992
- Achievements: Won Gulf Cup 1992
- Last season position: Champions
- Coach: Toninho Cerezo
- Foreign professionals: Marcos Assuncao (Brazil); Renato (Brazil); Musa Mguni (Zimbabwe)
- Players to watch: Salem Sa'ad, Surour Salem
- Colours: Green
- Nickname: The Predators
- Stadium: Maktoum Bin Rashid Stadium.
- Capacity: 12,000
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