Riyadh: Jorvan Vieira’s experience in the UAE league won’t give Kuwait any advantage over the UAE in the Gulf Cup on Monday, according to The Whites’ coach Mahdi Ali.
Defending champions UAE drew 0-0 with Oman in Friday’s opening Group B fixture while record 10-time winners Kuwait beat Iraq 1-0. This renders the UAE’s next game against Kuwait pivotal if they are to advance to the second round.
The experience of Kuwait’s Brazilian coach - who managed Arabian Gulf League side’s Ittihad Kalba, Bani Yas and Sharjah, between 2010 and 2012 - threatens to derail the UAE campaign. But Ali played down the significance of Vieira’s insight ahead of the match in Sunday’s press conference.
“There are no secrets between the Gulf teams,” said the Emirati coach. “Everybody knows everyone, we know the Kuwaiti team and the Kuwaiti team knows us very well.
“Maybe Vieira has good experience in this region but we are born in this region and this is our home, our area, we know exactly how things go on here and I think it gives us advantage in how to deal with this competition.
“All our opponents have good experience, but we know our team and our opponents very well and I hope this translates in tomorrow’s game.”
Vieira himself admitted his knowledge on the UAE would account for very little. “I worked at three different clubs there and I know four players from the current UAE squad,” he said. “I follow the league closely and have friends there and from time-to-time I try to see matches, when I visit.
“I have some knowledge and information and know the way they play and the characteristics of the players, but sometimes that is not enough, sometimes things change in a match.”
When asked if the UAE had anything to fear from Kuwait, Ali replied: “We know that Kuwait have a good record and a lot of experience in the Gulf Cup. They know how to deal with such competitions.
“But for us, whether they have won 10 titles or 11, all this is history. Football believes only in one thing - how ready you are now, how much effort you’ve put in, how effectively you’ve planned your camp, and how ready you are to face the opposition. I think football only knows this language, not any other language.”
Ali also promised changes to the side that faced Oman, as the UAE go in search of that all-important win. “This game is very important for us to keep our chance of qualifying and defending our title,” he said. “For the regular eleven there will be some changes against Kuwait and we will be ready for this coming match.”
