Al Ahli assistant coach Catalin Raducan believes his team will survive head coach Cosmin Olaroiu’s lengthy ban and can be unbeatable if they play the way they did in their 2-0 win over Al Shabab on Friday night.
Ahli responded to their double blow from last week, when they lost their first match of the season and learned about Olaroiu’s six-month ban all in one day, with a precious victory over Shabab – their first win in four league matches.
Raducan hailed his side’s fighting spirit, which was absent in the 2-1 defeat against Al Wasl last Sunday and says the players bounced back in the best way possible.
“It’s not easy for the team playing without their head coach but it’s not the first time something like this has happened. For me it’s easy… It’s pressure but also I like the pressure. I think everything will be okay,” said Raducan.
“Of course it was a special game, not just because we played with the second team in the league and after dropping points in three straight matches. But the players responded very well under pressure. I wish each game with pressure can be played like this.”
When asked whether he thought Olaroiu’s ban – imposed as he was still under contract with Al Ain when he made his controversial switch to the Rashid Stadium – can affect the team’s title chase in the long run, Raducan said: “If he’s banned until June we’ll see what happens. We will try to help the players and give them everything they need.
“What’s important is that if we played how we played tonight, with heart, fighting for every ball, for sure it will be very difficult for any team to beat us.”
Olaroiu is serving a touchline ban but was allowed to sit in the stands and he was seen yelling and instructing his players throughout the match.
“It’s difficult because sometimes during the game you have a difficult situation and you look to the bench and you don’t have our commander there, our coach,” said Ahli striker Grafite.
“But he’s suspended and we need to adapt to the new system.
“Even though he wasn’t in the bunker, he was in the tribune and you feel his presence, you feel he’s playing with us and is helping us.”
