(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Injured Matar likely to be out of action for long time; players to don new team jersey The UAE senior team coach Mahdi Ali talks to his players during a training session ahead of the friendly match againt Serie A side Udinese. — Supplied photo
The UAE head coach Mahdi Ali has confirmed to miss the efforts of his injured skipper Ismail Matar who is recovering from knee injury. The x-rays have reportedly revealed that Matar’s injury requires more attention and he will be out of action for quite a long time. Matar left Austria for Munich to carry out more medical examinations and rehabilitation to ensure a quick return to the pitch.
However Matar did not participate in any of the training sessions since his arrival in Linz on August 15 and was training alone with the physical fitness coach in the gym.
Ironically the UAE football ace is said to have taken part in the training camp of his club Al Wahda in Germany and appeared in many of the friendlies which were played by the Maroons.
The UAE senior football national team entertain the Italian Serie A side Udinese in the opener of their four friendlies during the current European tour at a neighbouring facility in Linz Austria in preparation for the Gulf Cup (Khaliji 22) in Riyadh (KSA) and the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015.
The players are: Ali Khusaif Khamis Ismail Ali Mabkhout Essa Ahmed Ismail Matar Mohammed Jaber Ahmed Dada Amir Abdul Rahman Haboush Saleh Ahmed Ali Abdul Aziz Haikal Abdul Aziz Sanqoor Walid Abbas Majid Hassan Ismail Al Hammadi Ahmed Khalil Habib Fardan Mohammed Yousuf Shahen Abdulla and Ahmed Khamis.
Elsewhere Ali and his assistants are looking forward to field as many as possible of the players to evaluate the extent of their readiness from the tactical mental and physical aspects. He’s also hoping to see the players implementing some of the plans on which they have been training before they face Norway on August 27 in Norway Lithuania on September 3 and Paraguay four days later. Both games will be played in Austria.
The Whites have concluded their preparations with a final training session in which all the players took part including Bani Yas’ Mohammed Jaber who was working separately during the last sessions.
The two keepers Ali Khusaif and Mohammed Yousuf worked under the supervision of the keepers’ coach Hassan Ismail.
In the meantime the newly appointed fitness and rehabilitation French coach has officially commenced his new assignment with the Whites. The Frenchman is among the most efficient professionals in the field and has been employed by many leading French clubs including Lyon Football Club. The UAEFA has recruited him last month to join the technical staff of the senior football national team.
Al Ain players Khalid Essa Mohammed Ahmed Muhanad Al Enazi Ismail Ahmed Mohammed Fawzi and Omer Abdul Rahman are expected to reunite with the squad on August 28 two days after their away clash against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad in the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.
New colours
The players of the UAE senior football national team are expected to appear in the new colours which have designed by the German company adidas with which the UAEFA has contracted last July after the expiry of its agreement with the Italian company.
The ‘adidas’ term was officially launched during the training sessions in the current Austrian tour including all the equipment which carry the brand name of the leading international sports manufacturers.
The Whites association with adidas dates back to the 1996 AFC Asian Cup finals in which they have finished runners up to Saudi Arabia on penalties shootout before winning the 18th Gulf Cup in 2007.
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