Saudi Arabia coach confirms the national team has improved offensively, while Oman coach sees his players' abilities becoming clearer

Jeddah, Sept 26 (KUNA) – Saudi national football team coach Giorgos Donis said on Saturday that the team has improved offensively and emphasized the importance of having a large pool of players ready to participate, noting that the match schedule in the 27th edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations (Khaleeji 27) requires rotation among players.

Speaking at a press conference after Saudi Arabia’s 3-0 victory over Oman, Donis said that playing every three days makes player rotation a natural necessity, especially given varying physical readiness and the risk of injuries. “If we want to have a distinguished national team, we must have more than 11 players ready,” he added.

He explained that the technical staff is working to support all players and provide tactical and mental guidance, stressing that he does not favor targeting a specific player or burdening them with responsibility for performance or results, as all players are important to him. He added that the priority within the team is to continue developing and building confidence in their abilities.

Regarding the match against Oman, Donis said the Saudi team delivered an outstanding performance in the first half in terms of positioning and collective pressing after losing possession, as well as waiting for the right moment to score. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance in the second half.

He noted that the team faced some injuries during the match, including the departure of Alaa Al-Hajji, who had delivered an impressive performance. Donis pointed out that Oman created some chances in the second half and urged his players to maintain consistent performance until the final whistle.

Donis affirmed that the Saudi team demonstrated significant offensive improvement during the match and stressed the need to continue working and enhancing player performance in the coming stages.

For his part, Oman national team coach Tariq Al-Skeeti said that facing Saudi Arabia in the tournament gave him a clearer vision of his players’ abilities and how to manage training in the coming period.

Speaking at the same press conference, Al-Skeeti said there is no fixed timeframe for a coach to impose his style on the team, explaining that it depends on the fit between the coach and the players and the level of harmony and cohesion among them.

He added that the Omani team has made good progress over the past six months, holding five training camps despite the challenges faced by the technical staff in changing players and achieving cohesion. He emphasized that the steps taken by the team during this period have been significant.

Al-Skeeti noted that this year has been exceptional for Omani football, contributing to Omani players reaching the tournament in better shape. He highlighted the importance of such matches for the technical staff, viewing the encounter with Saudi Arabia as valuable and providing insights into player capabilities and training management, along with several lessons the staff will utilize in the future. (End) K.N.S. / R.J.