Iraq head coach Graham Arnold on Wednesday named the "Lions of Mesopotamia" squad for the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27".
Arnold made his intentions clear in a press conference. His side travel to Jeddah for the title and nothing less, and the tournament marks the most important stage in their build-up to the upcoming Asian commitments.
The coach opened by stressing the significance of the Gulf tournament: "There is no such thing in my dictionary as a friendly tournament and an official one. The Gulf tournament is important to us, and we have prepared for it to be a prelude to the Asian commitments, and in every match and every tournament we play our aim is to compete strongly."
He picked the squad himself, and the players he chose will be expected to give their best and represent Iraq with the highest levels of commitment. The 35-player list, he noted, was registered a month ago with the approval of the International Federation.
A direct message to Muntadher Majed
Debate has raged over the position of expatriate player Muntadher Majed, and Arnold revealed he had been in direct contact with him: "I want everyone to know that I am in good contact with Muntadher Majed, but at the present time he has chosen to stay with his club and focus on his future and his career with it."
Then came a firmer line: "I want a player who is 100% committed to his presence with the Iraq national team, and I hope Muntadher Majed settles the matter of his international career quickly. We are going to win the tournament. I have not coached a team just to make an appearance."
Injuries and forced changes
The rules specific to the Gulf Cup, along with injuries that struck the team two weeks before kick-off, forced Arnold into changes. He revealed that Hussein Ali's club had informed them the player needed surgery.
On the goalkeeping position, he confirmed the decision rests with the goalkeeping coach: "Ahmed Basil is the chosen national team goalkeeper, and two goalkeepers remain who impressed the goalkeeping coach."
His closing message to the players was pointed: "The selection of players came based on readiness and what I saw this season in the domestic matches. I honestly believe their level has risen despite the fact that the players play in difficult weather conditions. I want the players to go to the Gulf Cup believing they will win, for it is an important competition for the Gulf region and a great opportunity to make your country and your family proud of you."
The Lions of Mesopotamia squad for Gulf 27:
Goalkeepers: Ahmed Basil, Mohammed Salih, Hussein Hassan.
Defence: Ahmed Yahya, Mustafa Saadoun, Maytham Jabbar, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashem, Youssef Al-Imam, Merkhas Doski, Mohammed Dilawar, Ibrahim Bayesh.
Midfield: Zidane Iqbal, Bassam Shaker, Zaid Ismail, Amir Al-Ammari, Haidar Abdul Karim, Abdulrazzaq Qasim, Karrar Nabil, Mohammed Qasim.
Attack: Ahmed Qasim, Ali Jasim, Saif Rashid, Ayman Hussein, Ali Al-Hamadi, Youssef Al-Nasrawi.
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Iraq are in Group One alongside Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. The tournament runs in the Saudi city of Jeddah between 23 September and 6 October.