DUBAI // With the club’s new board of directors set to decide on his future in the coming days, Marius Sumudica, the Al Shaab coach, will be looking to buy some time with a winning start in the President’s Cup.
Sumudica, one of the excitable characters in the Arabian Gulf League dugouts, is battling to keep his job following a disappointing start.
His team is languishing at the bottom of the league table, with only four points in nine games. They have done slightly better in the League Cup, with a win over Al Wahda and two draws in their five matches.
Struggling to live alongside the big boys of UAE football in the professional division, Shaab and Sumudica must be thanking their stars for a favourable President’s Cup draw. They will face one of the event’s two Division One teams in the round of 16, Al Dhaid, on Monday at Dubai club.
Dhaid, who defeated Al Ittihad and then Dibba Al Hisn by the same 2-1 score to make it to the last 16, are doing as badly as Shaab in the lower division.
They are currently 10th in the 13-team league with three points from four matches, but Sumudica knows it is not the opponent, but the ineptitude of his own team, which is responsible for their present state. So he is bound to be wary.
“How often have we seen this team play one good half and then lose the match in the other half?” Sumudica said.
“So far, I have not spoken in the media about our problems. As the coach, I have accepted the responsibility and not blamed anyone.
“I have always defended the players, but I am not going to do it now because they have been negligent and have not shown enough enthusiasm. So the problem of Al Shaab is not the coach, but the players. Everyone who gets a salary from the club needs to earn it. He should work for it and fight for the honour of the club.
“Unfortunately, that is not happening. There are calls to give opportunities to certain players and when I give them a chance, they do not perform at the desired level.”
Injuries and suspensions have also compounded Sumudica’s problems. In their last league game against Al Dhafra, Shaab were leading 1-0 at the break, but the manager was forced to remove Michael N’dri because of an injury. Ailing defender Essa Mohammed was substituted in the 66th minute and the game turned.
Sumudica said half of players, including goalkeeper Motaz Abdullah, are either injured or suspended.
“We are in a really difficult situation at the moment,” he said.
Hector Cuper, the Al Wasl manager, can. After starting his reign with a 3-1 win at Dubai and a 3-3 draw with Al Wahda, the Argentine looked stunned as his team crashed to an embarrassing 6-1 defeat at Al Nasr in the Bur Dubai derby.
Since that defeat on Wednesday, the former Valencia and Inter manager has been working on helping his players turn their attention to their match against Ajman. The two sides will meet on Monday night at Al Shabab club.
“After such a defeat, the coach’s job is to stay calm and help the players recover,” Cuper said. “Of course, we also need to work on the mistakes we made. So, while there is no doubt that it was a painful defeat, we have to turn the page, rebuild and stand up again.”
Nasr will travel to Ras Al Khaimah to take on the other Division One team in the last 16, Fujairah, and with either Dhaid or Shaab waiting in the next round.
arizvi@thenational.ae
