Khater not getting carried away with good draw at Arab Cup of Nations

The UAE were drawn against Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, plus Palestine, in a revamped tournament.

Subait Khater, the Al Jazira midfielder, thinks the UAE were lucky when the draw for the Arab Cup of Nations was made yesterday.

The UAE were drawn against Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, plus Palestine, for the revamped tournament, which has not been played since 2002. The UAE, who competed once (1998) in the tournament will face Palestine on the opening night in Saudi Arabia. The tournament runs from June 22 to July 6.

The top team in each of the three four-team groups and the best runner-up will move in to the semi-finals.

Bahrain Morocco, Libya and Yemen are in Group B while Egypt are drawn with Sudan, Iraq and Lebanon in Group C.

"The draw has been kind to us but we must not under estimate any team," Khater said.

"The timing of the tournament is not ideal but that is the only window left in otherwise a packed calendar. I think a lot of effort has gone in to reviving this event and funds have been splashed to make it more attractive and we as players should support it."

The championship- which has only been played eight times since 1963, has been revived with the Pan Arab Football Federation enticing teams with lucrative prize money to be shared among the 12 participants.

The winners will receive US$1 million (Dh3.67m), the runner-up $600,000, the third-placed team $350,000 and all others $200,000 for participating.

Abdullah Misfir, the UAE's caretaker coach, will select a squad ahead of a training camp scheduled in Turkey from June 1 but will be without the services of several key players who will be preparing for the London Games in July.