Sports analysts and technical experts have stated that the technical staff of the national football team, led by Romanian coach Olaru Cosmin, is required in the next phase to create a clear technical plan to build a strong team with a clear personality and identity, in preparation for upcoming tournaments. There is also a need to implement a clear and studied process of 'renewal and replacement', given the rising average age of some players, which could negatively impact the team in the future. They said the team suffers from instability, especially regarding the squad list, as the names of players called up change every time. They confirmed that 'Cosmin has enough time to carry out this task' and described the current situation as 'standing still' due to the lack of a clear plan for the public regarding the team's future. They stressed the need to focus on the country's football academies to build new talents, pointing to multiple technical factors affecting the team's performance. Administrator and sports analyst Ahmed Khalifa Hamad described the team's recent gathering in Abu Dhabi as positive, despite the absence of strong friendly matches that could have helped the technical staff apply their ideas better. He emphasized the importance of playing friendly matches against teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup, noting that the team has suffered from offensive weakness in the recent past. He said: 'The coach knows the capabilities of the players selected in the last list, whether new or old, due to his long presence in the country.' Hamad stressed the need not to over-evaluate the last camp, considering it the minimum required at the current stage, despite the technical benefits it achieved. They stressed the importance of the national team playing friendly matches against strong teams to enable the technical staff to address the gaps and errors that accompanied the team's journey in the past, especially defensive and offensive problems that contributed to the failure to qualify for the World Cup. In contrast, they described the national team's last camp, held in Abu Dhabi from March 23 to 30, which included two friendly matches where the team defeated Al-Wahda (4-1) and Gulf United (4-0), as positive. They stressed the need to continue work in the coming period to reach optimal readiness before entering the competition for the 'Gulf Cup 27' and the 2027 Asian Cup. They explained that 'the Abu Dhabi camp, despite its short duration, achieved many technical benefits, represented by the technical staff explaining the playing plan to the players and getting to know their capabilities closely, especially the six players who joined the national team for the first time, in addition to enhancing understanding and harmony among them.' Building a strong team Former international player and former general supervisor Dr. Hassan Suhail emphasized the importance of having a clear technical plan for the renewal and replacement process, given the rising average age of some players. He confirmed the need for a comprehensive vision to build a strong team for upcoming tournaments, not just temporary solutions. He said: 'The team suffers from a state of confusion, especially in terms of preparation, and the national team's gatherings must be organized in advance, not just according to the international calendar, along with the necessity of playing friendly matches against strong teams.' He added: 'I am in favor of the renewal and replacement process, especially among older players, because the performance in the next phase will be for younger players, especially if we are building a strong team, but what is happening now can be described as 'standing still,' and I do not think there is a clear plan for the public regarding the team's future.' Regarding the last camp in Abu Dhabi, he clarified that its most prominent gains were the coach getting to know the players, assessing their technical levels, explaining the playing plan, in addition to enhancing harmony among the players and between the technical and administrative staff, as well as getting closer to determining the ideal squad for upcoming tournaments. Instability Former international player and technical analyst Bakheet Said stated that the team suffers from technical instability due to continuous changes in the squad list, which keeps it in a state of constant experimentation. He pointed out that some players have important matches ahead with their clubs, locally or internationally, which puts them under significant psychological pressure. He added: 'The value of the new players will appear in the coming phase, especially in strong friendly matches, where the technical system and ideas will become clearer more clearly.' The 'Whites' squad in the Abu Dhabi camp included the players: Ali Khusseif, Hamad Al-Maqbali, Adel Al-Hosani, Badr Naser, Richard O'Connor, Julat Lima, Sasha, Khalifa Al-Hamadi, Leonardo Aimesmico, Marcus Miloni, Mohammed Rabie, Joao da Silva, Ali Saleh, Abdullah Hamad, Mohammed Abbas, Mamadou Coulibaly, Yahya Nader, Esam Fays, Nicolas Jimenez, Yahya Al-Ghassani, Harib Abdullah, Ousmane Camara, Yuri Cesar, and Bruno Oliveira. He stressed that some current players may not be able to provide the required contribution, especially with the upcoming participation in the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. He added: 'New players joined during the last camp in Abu Dhabi, and despite development steps, we wished this momentum would translate into qualifying for the World Cup.' He pointed to a state of discontent in the sports street after failing to qualify for the World Cup, while at the same time emphasizing the importance of working for the next phase, and that 'the football federation may have a vision that may hit or miss'.
