Algerian Noureddine Ould Ali, coach of the Yemeni team, confirmed that the victory over Bahrain represents an important morale boost for the team, despite not qualifying for the semi-finals of the Gulf Cup, stressing that the victory does not hide the amount of work that awaits the team during the next stage, in light of the lack of playing minutes that a large number of its players get.
Ould Ali said in the press conference after the match: “We congratulate the Yemeni people and the Yemeni fans on this victory. We were hoping to also win against Qatar, but we lost that match in the last quarter of an hour, and God decreed what He wanted. It is true that we did not qualify for the second round, but we achieved a victory and played a great match in this edition, and we look forward to the best in the future.”
The Yemeni coach described the victory as a “moral victory,” explaining: “We will not benefit from it in the tournament calculations, but it is important for the Yemeni team.” The Bahraini national team was influenced by its previous results, and we wish it success in the future.”
Ould Ali refused to consider the victory as an indication that all the team’s problems were behind him, and said: “We cannot say that life has become beautiful just because of winning a match.” When you look at the minutes played by each player during the months of August and September, you will find that they are few, and this is the truth.
He added: “We have 26 players, and most of them have only played three or four matches, so it is not easy. We need the Yemeni League to give us three or four players, and we have two friendly matches in November, and perhaps players from the diaspora or from the Yemeni League will join us.”
Ould Ali spoke about the development of boldness in his team’s performance from one match to another, explaining that this is related to the approach of each confrontation, and he said: “We have a different strategy for each match. If we play the same way against the UAE, for example, we may face problems in defensive depth, as every confrontation has its own data and strategy.”
He continued: “The match itself may give you some solutions while playing, as happened with us today. Sometimes the strategy works, sometimes you face difficulties, and then you try to find the right way to solve it.”
The Yemeni coach pointed out the limited preparation period that preceded the tournament, saying: “We did not have time to play friendly matches before the first match, with the exception of facing Kuwait, during which we tried to gather the largest possible number of players, and about 70 percent of them were able to attend.”
Ould Ali stressed that he is not looking for experience as much as he is looking for solutions that can be built upon, and he said: “I want experienced players who can control the match.” “I am not here to experiment, but to find exceptional solutions, and we will look for defensive solutions during the preparation for the Asian Cup.”
Regarding following up on the Yemeni League and the possibility of including new names, he said: “I know the players, and I may call some of them for the upcoming friendly matches,” noting that the next stage will witness the continued search for players capable of playing at a higher level.
Ould Ali explained that preparation for the future has already begun, adding: “We must have a greater number of players capable of playing at a high level, especially since the level in the Asian Cup will be higher.” Each team has special preparations according to its level, and I have plans for the November friendlies, and from today we started trying some things.”
The Yemeni coach concluded his speech by emphasizing that building the team is an ongoing process, and said: “This is my diligence as a coach, and this is our situation as coaches. We work hard and experiment until we reach our goals.”
