In Goal: The Olympics Off the Table
I do not know how we can discuss the preparations of the Kuwaiti Olympic football team for the Asian Games as if we were talking about a transient obligation that can be handled with minimal preparation, while this team should arguably be at the top of the Federation’s agenda. Its participation in the Asian Games represents one of the most important milestones awaiting Kuwaiti football at this time, given that this squad serves as the primary feeder for the senior national team.
It is surprising that the preparations for this team appear extremely modest compared to what the other senior national teams have undertaken. For instance, the youth team underwent a summer camp that began in the Netherlands and concluded in Thailand in preparation for the Asian Cup qualifiers, which ended in a humiliating failure. Similarly, the U-15 and U-13 teams conducted camps and preparations for their upcoming obligations. Meanwhile, the Olympic team, which faces a larger and more significant challenge, seems to be the last thing on everyone’s mind.
The issue here is not about an extravagant camp or a schedule filled with travel, but rather about serious preparation commensurate with the magnitude of the obligation. Is it conceivable that the team representing Kuwait at an event of the stature of the Asian Games receives the least attention in terms of preparation and readiness? How can we expect it to compete and deliver good results if the program preceding its participation does not even afford it the opportunity to prepare properly? To be fair, I do not believe the Federation can bear sole responsibility for the modesty of these preparations. Whenever it attempts to develop its ideas and working mechanisms with the national teams and implement better programs, it clashes with the interests and private agendas of the clubs. We often see the Federation devising plans and programs, but their execution becomes difficult when some clubs treat the call-up of their players to the national team as a loss that must be compensated for, or when the presence of even one, two, or five players with the national team becomes a reason to demand the postponement of matches or the suspension of club activities.
Clubs have their interests and affiliations, and this is understandable. However, these interests should not reach a point where they become an obstacle to the national teams. The national team is not a competitor to the clubs; the player who represents his club is the same one who represents Kuwait when he dons the blue jersey. Therefore, we cannot build strong national teams if every attempt to improve their preparation is first met with the question: “What will the clubs say?”
The problem, therefore, is not that the Federation wants to organize a camp or arrange friendly matches, but rather that any attempt to develop the national team system finds itself forced to navigate through the clubs’ schedules, dates, and interests. In this context, the Federation should have a clear and decisive voice, as the interest of the national team should not be a negotiable item whenever it conflicts with a league match or a local tournament. To clarify, no one is calling for the cancellation of club competitions or the disregard of their interests. However, it is unacceptable for the national teams to remain the weakest link every time. The Federation is responsible for both the national teams and the competitions. If it is tasked with developing football, it has the right to find support rather than obstacles, and cooperation rather than bargaining, especially when it comes to an Asian obligation that represents Kuwait as a nation, not a specific club.
The Olympic team does not need a miracle at the Asian Games; it simply needed to be allowed to prepare. If the youth, U-15, and U-13 teams can secure preparation programs and camps, while the Olympic team remains held hostage by the clubs’ schedules, then perhaps we need to redefine our priorities before we rewrite our programs.
