Interim Al Jazira head coach Ali Al Junaibi insists his players will soon be putting the pride back in the Pride of Abu Dhabi.
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Al Junaibi oversaw a 2-0 loss to Dibba Al Fujairah in the Arabian Gulf Cup Group B dead rubber on Tuesday in his first outing since replacing Abel Braga, but he believes he can already sense an upturn in morale since taking over.
“We are ready technically and physically to face Emirates and I promise that the team will change the picture and will provide the level befitting the name and status of Al Jazira,” said Al Junaibi.
“We have studied this team very well and we have an idea of their strengths and weaknesses and we will work intensively to develop a plan that will help the players to overcome this competitor.”
He revealed that the players are already starting to feel a positive change and have started to regain confidence in themselves.
“What I have seen is that the players are beginning to regain their trust in each other and are beginning to believe once more in their ability to achieve victories,” he said.
Jazira’s frailties have long been their inability to keep clean sheets but Al Junaibi says he has confidence in his defenders.
“I previously worked with Musallem Fayez and Fares Juma when they were at Al Ain,” said Al Junaibi. “I have a good idea of the rest of the defenders and what individual assets they have.”
Having plundered a league-high 66 goals last term, Jazira have found the net just 18 times this season, and Al Junaibi insists the forwards must share an equal portion of blame.
“The responsibility of maintaining clean sheets starts with the attackers and the duties of the defence also include the 11 players on the pitch, not just the back four,” he said. “Al Jazira does not suffer only defensively and the defenders cannot bear the responsibility of the shortcomings of the attackers, who are finding it difficult to create chances and score goals.”
Park Jong-woo and Fayez return following suspension but Jazira remain without injured trio Ali Khasif, Mirko Vucinic and Jefferson Farfan.
