Saif Mohamed: Team spirit will help Dhafra avoid the drop

Matt Jones - Editor 06:22 22/02/2016
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  • Aiming higher: Saif Mohamed.

    Veteran midfielder Saif Mohamed claims Al Dhafra are too good to be relegated and says their resurgence can provide the confidence required to beat the drop.

    The 32-year-old has seen his side record back-to-back wins against basement rivals Fujairah and Emirates Club in their last two Arabian Gulf League games and the former UAE international believes the Western Knights’ team unity will be key in their scrap for survival.

    “I hope the players continue in the same spirit, because our position, we don’t deserve it,” said Mohamed. “We have good players and we deserve to be higher. We will work hard to achieve that. We changed a lot in the second half of the season.

    “We have played five hard games against the first, second and third-placed teams as well as Al Jazira and Al Shabab. We could have won two, drawn two and we lost in the last minute against Al Ain.

    “We have passed the hardest point of the season. Now we will play against teams more our level and we have to pass these games to be in a good position.

    “I trust my players and what we are doing. We will pass this situation and Inshallah we will be in a better position in the future.”

    A 2-0 defeat away at doomed Al Shaab at the beginning of February aside, Dhafra’s only other loss in their last eight games was a 2-1 January 8 reversal at home to champions Al Ain, who had new recruit Danilo Asprilla to thank for scoring a 93rd minute winner on debut.

    Syrian Mohammed Kwid took the reins of the club for a third time in December following the dismissal of Frenchman Laurent Banide, and Mohamed believes he has galvanised the whole club.

    “Our new coach knows us. He knows Al Dhafra and knows exactly what he wants,” said Mohamed. “Our manager and coaches work so hard. They support us and bring good professionalism and motivate us. We have a good attitude on the field and the players know we deserve to be in a good position. We hope to take this confidence and work harder in the future.”

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