Ferreira: We suffered when the internationals left, Al-Sadd aim to win all titles

Head coach Jesualdo Ferreira spoke to the club website in an exclusive interview, expressing his satisfaction with the progress of the 2017-18 preseason camp, despite the problems and difficulties.

Ferreira said: “The camp was successful and the preparation was great. But we had three problems. Some of the timings were difficult for the players. The second thing was that our Qatar national team players left before the camp was over. Therefore their preparation was different from the rest of the players. We also didn’t play the matches which were scheduled as part of the camp because we didn’t have enough players. The match was against Italian side Bologna, a strong time. It was difficult for us to find another match. So we had to be satisfied with one friendly match during the camp. This is the third problem.”

The coach went on to praise the new additions to the squad, saying: “The new players are a great addition; they will make the team stronger with their quality and experience. As you know, Abdelkarim Hassan left the team. So the new players will be a good help for the team.”

Asked about the many youngsters on the Al-Sadd squad at the camp, Ferreira said: “The young players have been training with us for some time now. They will be important for the U23 team. They are capable of helping us greatly as they know the team’s style and also know what they can offer. They are also very important for the future of Al-Sadd and the Qatar national team. Many of them play with the Qatar Olympic team. Their level has improved a lot recently. I hope they will be a good addition to the squad, especially as we will be in need of them in the new season.”

He also talked about the condition of the players: “The players had trained from July 15 onwards, for a period of 5 days, in Doha. Then we trained for two weeks at the camp. The training of the international players will have to wait until September. Training in Doha will be with 4-5 first players. The internationals will join us two days before our first official match. This is not a good thing and it is not fair for the condition of the team that is preparing for the a tough season.”

He said: “We respect the Qatar national team’s schedule but who will take responsibility for the level of the other players? There will be a focus on 30-odd players while more than 300 players will be out of work.”

As for the competition in the upcoming season, Ferreira said: “Our goal is to win all titles. This has always been Al-Sadd’s goal. If you wish to be strong abroad, you must be strong at home first. Our first competition will be the Super Cup and we are ready for it.”