Ali Asad: We will fight for the league title next season; I still have lot more to give

On Day 4 of our 2017 preseason camp in Bad Häring – Austria, we bring you an exclusive interview with our midfield star Ali Asad.

The Qatari international started off by greeting all the fans of Al-Sadd who supported the team during last season. “I want to greet the Al-Sadd fans and I thank them for standing with us throughout last season. It was a season in which we won the Qatar Cup for the first time and then also the Emir Cup. The season was 90% successful after we lost the league in the very end,” said Asad.

Asad went on to speak of the team’s ambitions for the new season. “The aims are going to be different. We need to work on improving our performance, especially as we will be playing in the AFC Champions League group stages after missing it in the last two seasons. There will also be intense competition for the league title, which we haven’t won for 4 years now. We will fight to win this title.”

According to Asad, the conditions in the Austrian camp have been ideal. “The conditions here are really great and we are training in Austria for the sixth season now. The climate here and the sporting facilities help us to get the ideal preparation for the coming season, which is undoubtedly going to be very difficult. All the players, the experienced ones and the youngsters, must work hard and seriously in order to be fully prepared and ready to perform well, which is the norm at Al-Sadd.”

Asked to rate his own performances during last season, Asad said: “I can’t rate myself. But I always try to work hard and for the team. I can’t say that I am satisfied with myself or not. With regards to titles, I am happy with what we have achieved. I think I can perform better for the team.”

He added that he is working to improve his performances for the national team too. “The national team has suffered and faced some difficulties recently, especially with the change in coach. There still is a chance for us to qualify for the World Cup in Russia. We need Uzbekistan to lose both of its matches to renew our hopes. As young players with experience, we need to work hard to raise the Qatari flag high and to prepare for the 2019 Asian Cup.”

At the end, Asad left with a message for the Al-Sadd fans: “Just as you stood with us after we lost out on the league title and we managed to win the two Cups with your support, we now request you to continue with more support. We will give you our best and we will work to win all the titles and to perform strongly in Asia. With you, we are stronger.”