Aad De Mos keen to builda new team for the future

There is no turning back. National team coach Aad De Mos will not abandon his policy to build a new team for the future and has even indicated that the UAE might be represented by a totally different team at the next Gulf Cup in Doha.

The radical step to overhaul the senior squad was triggered by the disappointing results achieved by the team in recent years and more specifically in the Asian Cup and qualifiers for the World Cup.

De Mos surprised a lot of people when he changed almost 50 per cent of the team which then lost to Thailand in the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup last week.

"I am not going to change my point of view regarding the need to make bold changes and bring in new blood even though we lost to Thailand. Losing one match does not mean losing the future," he told Gulf News.

"We are working for the future and we realise that we may have to pay a price. That price is losing some matches, coming in for criticism or any other obstacle we might encounter.

"We are determined to build a new team with new players. We are full of hope there there will be a brighter future for the team," he added.

"I met the players after the defeat against Thailand and we talked about the mistakes we committed in the defence, the poor finishing and, most importantly, the future. I am satisfied with their determination and readiness to do their best for their country.

"We are going to watch league matches in both the first and second division and we will not overlook even a single player who shows any prospects of becoming a future UAE international player."

De Mos also disclosed that he will discuss with the FA the prospect of gathering the team at least once a week until the Gulf Cup in Doha in December this year.

The regular sessions will help develop a mutual understanding between the new players and also provide them with the chance to gain international experience as the team will play four matches before the commencement of the regional tournament.

"We will use our friendlies against Malaysia, Yemen and Kuwait and our last official match in the qualifiers for the World Cup against North Korea as steps to prepare the new team. We are serious about the building process and will never look back again," De Mos said.

The UAE will play a friendly against Malaysia on November 11 before hosting North Korea on November 17. They will have two more friendlies against Kuwait on November 28 and Yemen on December 4 or 5 before travelling to Doha, on December 9, for the Gulf Cup .

"The injured custodians Waleed Salim and Moutaz Abdullah and the three suspended players, Humaid Fakher, Rashid Abdul Rahman and Mohammad Sorrour, will join the team after their recovery or at the end of their suspension," he concluded.