Abu Dhabi: Al Ain midfielder Rashed Eisa says Arabian Gulf League title success in his debut season at the club has not sated his voracious appetite for success, as he targets ‘more silverware with the team’.
In an interview with the Arabic press at Al Ain’s pre-season training camp in Austria, Eisa said optimism was high in the squad ahead of the new season despite two successive friendly defeats.
The Boss went down 1-0 to Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv Tashkent on Sunday, before being thumped 4-0 by English Championship outfit Hull City on Wednesday evening.
To compound matters, their star man Omar Abdul Rahman was stretchered off after twisting his knees and ankles in an innocuous collision with Hull defender Curtis Davies.
Yet Eisa, who moved to the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium from Al Wasl last season, knows meaningless friendly defeats will count for little when the new AGL season kicks off next month.
Eisa, who along with his teammates could face the Spanish legend Xavi Hernandez if the midfield maestro plays for new side Al Sadd against them in a friendly next Wednesday, said: “My involvement with the team in achieving the league title last season was not enough for me, and I look forward to more silverware with the team. The atmosphere in the squad is one of optimism as we assess our priorities for the new season, which include the Asian dream of winning the Asian Champions League.
“We are keen to delight our fans.”
New-look Al Ain have replenished their foreign ranks in the close season with the additions of Brazilian playmaker Fellipe Bastos, Dutch winger Ryan Babel and Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike.
The trio were ineffectual in the insipid loss to Hull, however, with the absence of their departed superstar striker Asamoah Gyan, who has moved to Shanghai SIPG, keenly felt.
However, Eisa, who represented the UAE Under-23 team at the London 2012 Olympics, insists their quality will soon shine through.
He said: “Babel is a proven performer, Emenike is like Gyan with his scoring, although he faces a big challenge to emulate his success. Bastos will be the midfield engineer along with Amoory [Omar Abdul Rahman], and both offer golden assists.
“I wish success for them all.”
