UAE boss Mahdi Ali has insisted a united front is required to see the ‘Golden Generation’ fulfil their destiny and reach World Cup 2018.
The Whites’ 25-man squad recommenced training in Dubai on Friday as they gear up for next month’s daunting start of the third-and-final qualification round for Russia. This followed Wednesday’s ending of a month-long training camp in Spain, the length of which had led to discussions with some Arabian Gulf League clubs about player availability.
“The next phase requires everyone coming together in order to achieve the dream to be in Russia during 2018,” the 51-year-old told the UAE Football Association’s website. “Everyone must stand behind the team and support them in all their games.
“This team has made a lot of dreams come true and our dream of qualifying for the World Cup is our biggest dream – we will fight to achieve it. Our team believes in our own set of distinct elements that we believe gives us the capabilities to be able to overcome all difficulties.”
Ali’s men travel to Shanghai, China on August 19 for another preparatory period. They will play a friendly against North Korea on August 24, prior to the taxing competitive double header at World Cup-regulars Japan on September 1 and at home to 2015 Asian Cup holders Australia on September 6. The UAE are also joined by Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Syria in Group B.
For Al Ain superstar Omar Abdulrahman, lethal Al Jazira hot shot Ali Makbhout and their team-mates to automatically reach the globe’s premier football event, they will need to end up in the top-two.
If they make third, they will meet the same finishers from Group A in a showdown to reach the inter-confederation play-off against the CONCACAF entrants.
