Dubai: Coach Cosmin Olaroiu will be on the lookout for quick solutions to an unique challenge when his brand new Shabab Al Ahli Dubai take on Al Wahda in their Group B opener of the Arabian Gulf Cup in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Less than four months after three clubs were merged as one entity, the Shabab Al Ahli Dubai coach had to scamper around recruiting the best available talent before the squad departed to Poland for their annual training camp. With most of Al Ahli’s tried and tested players managing to hold their place in the squad, as many as 13 from Al Shabab made the cut into the senior and reserve team, while a handful from Dubai Club were drafted in.
Many of the players asked for transfers — prominent among them was the gifted striker Ahmad Khalil who joined Ali Makhbout at Al Jazira — while the others were left seeking other clubs as the new club’s squad prepares for their opener on Friday against Al Wahda.
“For sure, this is an unique situation to all of us. This is a new club, a new beginning where we all have to put our heads together to choose and find a system of play. During the training period [and overseas camp] I have tried to use various systems to see what suits us best with the players we have now. But this is all experimental. Our first game will be the first real test. We will see the level and we will need a bit more time to judge our own level to see what we can do from next season,” Olaroiu told media at the customary prematch conference on Wednesday.
“The situation that we are in has given me a bigger challenge. Our aim is to be one solid unit. None of the other coaches and players [at the other eleven clubs] are in the situation that we are in. But we are here to do whatever we can to take this new club to greater heights. Maybe this is not the best situation but we will try to do our best with this new team. This is like Mission Impossible, and we are ready,” he added.
Olaroiu, who had been at the helm when Al Ahli won two league titles (2014, 2016), was wary of a youthful threat from Al Wahda in today’s opener. “This match will be the first challenge for our new team. Al Wahda have a good young coach and I expect them to be at their best. We will need to hit the ground running and prove what we are capable of,” Olaroiu said.
“Our strategy will change every match depending on the opposing team, but what is even more important is that we should not lose. We will be under a lot of pressure to perform, but we should not allow this to get to us. The first two or three matches will be very important for us to find ourselves and gradually we will grow in confidence,” the Romanian added.
