Sami Al-Jaber has leapt to the defence of Abdullah Al-Hamdan. The former Saudi Arabia national team star rejected the criticism that has spilled over into abuse and insults aimed at the striker, insisting that missing chances is a natural part of football and never justifies personal attacks on players.
Speaking from his own experience, Al-Jaber recalled that players of his generation were far from immune to criticism. It followed them even into retirement once social media arrived, and he pointed out that some people go after players out of personal grudges rather than any genuine assessment of their level.
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"When we were playing, criticism and insults would come our way, and even after retirement on social media. There are some people who harbour resentment in their hearts," Al-Jaber said on the "Nadina" programme.
The former Al-Hilal and Saudi Arabia star believes Al-Hamdan has real quality and deserves support and trust, particularly given the pressure weighing on him with Saudi Arabia at present.
"Abdullah Al-Hamdan is a distinguished and hard-working player, and he must trust himself and his abilities," he added. Missing chances, he stressed, can happen to any striker and can never be a reason to turn technical criticism into personal abuse.
"It is natural to miss chances, but abuse and insult are unacceptable," Al-Jaber continued. The message was clear. Judge a player's performance on the pitch, but keep the hurtful remarks to yourself.
His words land at a moment when Al-Hamdan is under fire from fans over his attacking output, with Saudi Arabia in the thick of their campaign at the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27". The striker's situation has become one of the tournament's biggest talking points.