ABU DHABI // Baniyas believe Amer Abdulrahman will return as a fitter and stronger player, having fully recovered from a knee surgery that kept him on the sidelines for almost the entire 2013/14 season.
The midfielder did not play in the recent friendly tournament organised by the club which, according to assistant coach Salem Al Orafi, was to give the player more time to get in to physical shape. “Amer has nothing to prove playing in this competition,” said the Emirati, who took charge of the team while new Spanish manager Luis Garcia watched from the stands.
“He is already an established player. He is valuable he is for us and we don’t want to rush him.
“He has had this knee problem in the last two seasons and it didn’t seem to have worked each time he returned after treatment.
“This time he has been given enough time and we hope that works. Amer is not only valuable to us but for the national team, as well, as they prepare for two important tournaments, the Gulf Cup and the Asian Cup.
“He’s got quality. It’s a matter of time to get into shape and, hopefully, return to the national team.”
The UAE international, 25, signed a two-year extension on his contract two weeks ago to remain at Baniyas even as several clubs pursued him for his signature. Abdulrahman won the Under 19 Asian Championship and the Under 23 Gulf Cup with the UAE and was part of the senior teams that finished second at the 2010 Asian Games and competed at the 2012 London Olympics.
At the end of last summer, Abdulrahman attended a trial at Blackburn Rovers, the English Premier League club.
apassela@thenational.ae
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