The name on everyone’s lips was absent on Wednesday when coach Alberto Zaccheroni announced his latest UAE squad.
Rumours had abounded that record-breaking, Argentina-born striker Sebastian Tagliabue would receive a debut call-up thanks to his newfound eligibility for naturalisation. But those looking for a fillip ahead of January 2019’s encroaching Asian Cup had to look elsewhere.
Here, Sport360° reviews the 28-man roster chosen for the Barcelona training camp, from October 6-16:
NO SIGN OF SEBASTIAN
If the Whites are looking for a quick fix with only three months to go until the continent’s finest descend on their country, they’d struggle to better an introduction of Wahda’s prolific Tagliabue.
This is why a sense of deflation greeted Zaccheroni’s latest list when the Al Wahda legend, with 115 goals in 116 Arabian Gulf League matches, wasn’t included.
This doesn’t mean, however, that all hope is lost.
Al Jazira conductor Khalfan Mubarak – he of seven assists in four blistering 2018/19 top-flight displays – is in from the start after being a late, non-playing call-up for last month’s 2-0 loss to rusty Trinidad and Tobago and 3-0 routing of Laos.
Evergreen Wahda forward Ismail Matar, 35, returns for the first time since September 2017 and superstar playmaker Omar Abdulrahman is coming back to his best at Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.
KINGS WITHOUT A CROWN
28 لاعباً في قائمة منتخبنا الوطني لمعسكر برشلونة
— UAE NT (@uaent2019) October 3, 2018
التفاصيل : https://t.co/k7OPhV6SII#منتخب_الإمارات#كأس_آسيا2019 pic.twitter.com/HSKMSQojwK
A fallen giant has risen this term in Sharjah.
But from Abdulaziz Al Anbari’s cavalier troops, only left-back Al Hasan Saleh has survived from September’s selection. Admittedly, this is a problem position for the UAE thanks to Mahmoud Khamis’ travails at Al Nasr.
Surely the likes of centre-back Shahin Abdulrahman, goalkeeper Adel Al Hosani and previous call-up Saif Rashid also deserved close inspection.
ZACCH’S TIME TO SHINE
Zaccheroni demanded a step-up in class this month – and he’s got it.
Honduras (October 11) and Venezuela (October 16) are next in line for a side who only limped to a goalless draw with Andorra in August.
The victory against minnows Laos was a first since January. It relieved some pressure, but it will pile back on if the next two matches go badly.
Zaccheroni’s latest roster included eight changes, meaning a state of flux is apparent. The ex-AC Milan, Juventus and Japan tactician must hope a winning formula is found in Spain.
