WORLD CUP 2006
Saudi Arabia
Introduction
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It is customary for Saudi Arabia’s preparations for a World Cup to be blighted by doubts about the coach. And there’s no exception this time. Brazilian Marcos Paqueta was appointed in mid-December after the decision to axe Argentinian Gabriel Calderon – the man who qualified the team for their fourth World Cup in a row – following a poor performance at the inconsequential West Asian Games in Qatar in November.
But with the Saudis struggling in their build-up to the World Cup, the rumours have already been flying about who may be waiting in the wings to succeed Paqueta, who was appointed as a result of his success with Riyadh club Al Hilal. Bora Milutinovic was one of the names in the frame, while Bruno Metsu ominously took the head coach’s job at top Jeddah club Al Ittihad and on only a short-term contract. Anghel Iordanescu, who had steered Al Ittihad to the Asian Champions League title in November, was free of all commitments and, reportedly, was making eyes at the federation.
But for all the speculation and the Saudi FA’s famously trigger-happy ways, Paqueta has remained in charge and should be the man to lead the team out against Tunisia on June 14. If that’s the case, the Brazilian, who led his country’s Under-17 and Under-20 sides to their respective world championships in 2003, will benefit from the good work done by his predecessor.
The Saudis were in a mess when Calderon took over in late 2004. The young squad were demoralised after their failure to get out of their group at the Asian Cup a few months earlier, the first time the Saudis had not reached the next round at the finals. They also flopped in the group stage at the Gulf Cup that December, Calderon’s first tournament in charge. But, surprisingly, he was given time to build, and came up with a team that dominated Group A of Asia’s final World Cup qualifying section.
Al-Jaber masterstroke Calderon convinced veteran striker Sami Al-Jaber to return to international action following his retirement in 2002, a move hailed as a masterstroke, since Al-Jaber played a key role in steering the Saudis to yet another World Cup. But it was the Argentinian’s development of younger players that really caught the eye. Yasser Al-Qahtani, who partners Al-Jaber up front for both club (Al Hilal) and country, has blossomed into one of the Middle East’s most promising strikers; at the back, Hamad Al-Montashari did enough to earn Asia’s Player of the Year award for 2005.
Saudi Arabia’s hopes of emulating their achievement of reaching the second round in their debut finals, USA 94, will hinge on that opening game against Tunisia. Three points against their fellow Arabs could be enough to give them the momentum needed to produce decent performances against Spain and Ukraine. But the chances are the European duo will have too much quality for their Asian opponents.
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