Sharjah: An 80 per cent rate of preparedness is all that new Sharjah coach Valeriu Tita can promise ahead of his side's first league game with Diego Maradona's Al Wasl on October 16.
The former Al Ittihad Aleppo 2010 Asian Cup winning coach knows things are far from ideal at Sharjah in the wake of Carlos Azenha's shock resignation last week, to be with his sick wife in Portugal.
So 45-year-old Romanian, Tita, hurriedly unveiled by the club yesterday, is therefore realistic in his evaluation of readying the squad in time for the new campaign, as the league's last man in.
Preparation
"The most important thing for me is preparation for the next three Etisalat Cup matches against Al Ahli, Ajman and Al Shabab. And then Al Wasl and Al Jazira in the league," said Tita.
"It's difficult to make changes at this time. [Because of coming in late and missing pre-season], therefore I believe we can get within 80 per cent of where we need to be, and where I would like us to be, in time for the first league game in October."
Tita added, "I saw Sharjah's first match, a 1-1 draw against Al Nasr in the Etisalat Cup last Friday and have seen training. I have to change some things in the team, there are some mistakes."
"Until now I cannot tell you about goals. I need to see the team and focus on training after that I can discuss matters with the board. But there is no coach in the whole world that doesn't want to win the title."
"I've come to Sharjah to change the situation, to play more football, good football, to have good results with Sharjah. But I cannot promise where I can reach with Sharjah I can only promise to make Sharjah play good football."
Played for Drobeta
Tita, was a player for his hometown club of Drobeta Turnu Severin in Romania before moving to Olympique de Casablanca in Morocco where he won the league and the Arab Cup Winners Cup in 1994. As a coach he won the AFC Cup with Al Ittihad Aleppo in 2010 and went on to manage the Syrian national team, Al Shorta Damascus and Kuwait's Al Nasr before the vacancy occurred at Sharjah.
