Asian Angle: Can Kuwait Rise Again?

The golden generation were replaced by silver stars that included the likes of Jassim Al Huwaidi, Bashar Abdullah and Bader Al Haji. These players may not have been the best in Asia but they kept the Kuwaiti faithful believing in the Blues.

It didn't last as the next crop of players or a team as a whole failed to impress and the world of football in Kuwait began its downward spiral. Indeed the problems and obstacles overflowing the conference room of the Kuwaiti Football Federation are endless.

They are not insolvable however. In this writer’s opinion it all comes down to one basic notion and that is professionalism; a true way of how to act as a professional footballer with the mentality of hard work, effort and fair play that is then rewarded with championships and/or monetary bonuses.

Kuwait needs a football academy similar to Aspire in Qatar which coaches and nurtures young individuals to become ideal footballers both physically and mentally. This is because no one can expect part time footballers to give a 100% work ethic while doing their part time job.

He then complimented a couple of Kuwaiti players and talked about how Bader Al Mutawa and Khaled Ahmed Khalaf could thrive in the A-League.

Kuwait has many talented players and you don’t have to go far to know that Bader Al Mutawa was named as the second best player in Asia in 2006. He also recently had a trial with Malaga and that there will be a renegotiation in the summer transfer window to lure him into the Spanish league. To bring the full potential of a player like Al Mutawa he should also have the right environment and going professional is one of them.

Kuwait is blessed with oil – lots of it. Money is basically not a problem, planning and co-coordinating however is. Kuwait has only one five star stadium; Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Stadium that is still rescheduling its opening and has been doing so since early 2009 despite being completed the year before. The reason being complications over contract issues/renewals and also work delays that occur between different domestic ministries in Kuwait.

 Most of the rest of the fourteen local clubs haven’t had their stadiums renovated in years and play at rundown 1960’s structures, with the exception of Al Kuwait Club. There Chairman Marzoog Al Ghanim spent a vast amount of his wealth improving the club’s infrastructure and players and they were able to land the AFC cup last year.

The lack of professional football has led to a lower standard of football and so less and less people have been attending the local games including even the derby between Al Arabi and Qadsiya. Once upon a time this was considered the best and most passionate derby in the Gulf region.

The governmental interference in football has also led FIFA to suspend Kuwait’s membership from time to time, worsening the already poor management of the clubs and national team.

Kuwait’s two Asian Champions League entrants have also been scratched off after the Asian Football Confederation decided that only countries with full time professional football leagues were allowed to participate.

Al Qadsiya had been doing great in that competition after reaching the semifinals and quarter finals in the span of three years demolishing teams like Al Ain of United Arab Emirates and winning their home game in 2008 against 2007 champions Urawa Reds.

In the Gulf we have a saying, one usually associated with the development of technology and mega cities. “Kuwait is the past, Dubai is the present, and Qatar is the future," which is true considering the fabulous stadiums, opening ceremonies and amazing satellite coverage of football(Dubai Sport and Al Jazeera Sport) the two latter countries have produced . 

Hopefully this saying does not associate itself with Kuwait’s favorite sport, football. The Kuwaiti faithful have long waited to see their team rise back again and the team that qualified for the Asian Cup must be applauded and must be given a better chance, environment and a footballer’s professional life.