Dubai // The president of the UAE Football Association yesterday reiterated the importance of the Gulf Cup of Nations, insisting that despite the complications that so often precede the competition, it remains a major target for all the nations involved.
“There are always doubts in the lead-up to the tournament,” Yousef Al Serkal said. “But as soon as it starts, it’s like the World Cup. It is a sensitive event, and has a big impact on players and management. We always demand that players are up to the task.
“The pressure is huge on them, and this is no different.”
Al Serkal also addressed concerns over television broadcasting rights in the tournament, hosted this year by Saudi Arabia, and responded to rumours that some UAE players would not take part because they were being called up for national service.
“No, there are no players called up for the military service,” he said. “Everyone will play in this tournament.”
With the 2015 Asian Cup beginning only six weeks after the Gulf Cup concludes, Al Serkal was keen to highlight that the UAE are well prepared for both competitions.
“We tried to convince the Saudis to have a bigger gap between the two tournaments,” he said. “For any team, except Yemen, whoever loses has another chance at the Asian Cup. It’s our duty to look after the team in both cases, and we will be ready whether we win or lose.”
Having won a championship in Bahrain 22 months ago, Al Serkal expects the team to challenge in Riyadh as well as Australia.
“Now we enter as reigning champions, and our ambitions are to be first, regionally and in Asia,” he said. “Our goal in every participation is to win, but we have to be realistic and take each step at a time. Each tournament has it own circumstance.
“These [two events] are close together. Despite the importance of the Gulf Cup, it is more important for us to prove ourselves at the Asian Cup.”
He conceded that the rivalry between Gulf teams can get fierce, and that most teams will be under immense scrutiny.
“We have to stop thinking like Third World countries. Look at the difference in reaction in advanced nations and our region, whether Arab or regional,” he said.
“If we win one match, we are ecstatic, if we lose, it’s the end of the world. We are passionate, that’s our nature and we can’t change, but every team thinks they are the favourites, as does their fans and media.
“In the end, there will be one champion only, and seven teams that are being whipped mercilessly.”
He also thanked media and sponsors for encouraging fans to travel to Saudi Arabia to support the team in big numbers, as they did in Bahrain last year.
The campaign, entitled “Ma’ak ya al abiad” (we are with you, whites), calls on fans to register with the FA for help with flights as well as transportation and accommodation assistance in Riyadh.
GULF COUNTRIES CRY FOUL OF TELEVISION PACKAGE PRICE
The 22nd Gulf Cup of Nations will kick off in Saudi Arabia on Thursday under a cloud of controversy as regional television broadcasters complain about higher rights fees.
Arabic-language media have reported that the broadcast rights were sold by the Saudis to the Italian firm MP & Silva for US$38 million (Dh140m). That company, in turn, is selling on to regional broadcasters.
ML & Silva set three bands of fees, according to Al Arabiya: $15m for beIN Sports, MBC, OSN and both Abu Dhabi Sports and Dubai Sports; $5.5m for broadcasters in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi; $3m for Iraq, Yemen and Sharjah TV.
In the 2013 Gulf Cup, matches were shown free to air, to UAE consumers, after Abu Dhabi Sports and Dubai Sports each paid a reported $3m.
“This is not logical. You can’t sell rights to a country for one price and to another for 10 times the amount,” said Yousef Al Serkal, president of the UAE Football Association, purposely exaggerating. “This is not fair.
“This is a tournament for all football fans and media in the Gulf. Why should one television station in one country broadcast and another can’t because the cost is prohibitive?
“I call on the heads of federations to take a stand. If this was in the UAE, we would be ready to hand over [rights] for the greater good.”
It appears the only top-tier broadcaster to pay the $15m is Qatar-based beIN Sports.
Al Serkal fears some in the region will not be able to see the tournament. “If this carries on, it will affect not just its existence, but even its unique flavour too,” he said.
akhaled@thenational.ae
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