At this precise time... Stand behind the Blues
The countdown has begun for the 2027 Asian Cup, hosted by Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5 next year, with fewer than 100 days remaining until the tournament, which the Kuwaiti national team (“Al-Azraq”) returns to after missing the last two editions. Amid the bitterness of exiting Gulf Cup 27 with three consecutive defeats, this may be the moment we need to give our players room to breathe, rather than burdening them beyond what their experience can bear, given that things did not go as the sporting public hoped. Yes, there are weaknesses that must be addressed, but harsh criticism of this young group will not change what has already happened, nor will it ensure a better future. These are the same players who will wear the national team jersey in the upcoming Asian competition, and they urgently need confidence as much as they need hard work and correction. Criticism and praise are two sides of the same coin; directing either at the wrong time can yield counterproductive results rather than serving as motivation for development and regaining self-belief. What is required now is to give this young group the opportunity to learn from what happened and enter the next phase with greater faith in their ability to present a different image. What Al-Azraq needs at this stage is calm work and corrective criticism rather than added pressure.
Although Kuwait’s matches in Gulf Cup 27 revealed aspects that require attention, the participation also brought some indicators worth building upon, foremost among them giving more playing time to young players before entering the Asian competition awaiting the national team in January next year. Lowering the average age was one of the most prominent features of Kuwait’s participation, with the average age of the starting eleven reaching 25.8 years after the first round, making the Kuwaiti national team the youngest in the tournament. The competition also allowed young players to participate in matches with a high competitive level, an important experience for a national team seeking to build a squad capable of sustaining itself in the coming years. However, the true benefit of this approach depends on continuing to give these players playing opportunities and developing them, rather than merely featuring them in a single tournament.
Conversely, the three matches revealed a clear decline in Al-Azraq’s ability to maintain leads in the later stages of games. This was particularly evident against Oman, when the national team took a lead through Shabib Al-Khalidi’s goal in the first half, only to concede three goals in the second half. Additionally, Iraq scored a winning goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time, and Saudi Arabia scored an own goal in the 73rd minute. Undoubtedly, this situation requires the technical staff to study the reasons behind the drop in performance in the final 15 minutes of matches, whether related to physical fitness, concentration, match management, or substitutions. Maintaining a lead against teams with greater experience requires the ability to play at the same pace until the final whistle.
With players returning to their clubs in preparation for the resumption of the Premier League, the role of clubs emerges as crucial, as they are the primary source for the national team and are responsible for developing their players and raising their physical and technical readiness to the highest possible level. National team camps precede tournaments by short periods, and technical staff do not have enough time to build physical fitness from scratch; rather, they work to utilize the readiness players bring from their clubs. Therefore, raising the level of physical work in clubs and monitoring player development throughout the season must be an essential part of preparing Al-Azraq. The national team’s preparation does not begin at the first camp, but rather starts at the clubs where players spend most of their season.
The Asian Cup draw placed Al-Azraq in Group 1 alongside Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Palestine. These three matches will be a significant test for the current squad, especially since the national team has the opportunity to redeem itself against Saudi Arabia and Oman after losing to them in the Gulf Cup. With the limited time remaining until the finals, there is a greater need to develop the current squad and address the shortcomings revealed in Jeddah, rather than making wide-ranging changes that might send the national team back to square one. The next phase requires technical stability and improved physical and competitive readiness, particularly since Kuwait’s last participation in the continental tournament was in Australia in 2015, when they lost all three matches against the host country, South Korea, and Oman, finishing the group stage without any points.
Al-Azraq lost its last match in Gulf Cup 27 by a score of 1-3 to the Omani national team. In exactly 98 days, the same matchup will be repeated in Saudi Arabia, but this time in the Asian Cup. Players are called upon to redeem themselves, while fans are urged to remain patient and stand behind the national team, as they have always done.
