Morocco's Tarik Sektioui, the head coach of Oman, raised the banner of defiance ahead of Saturday's clash with the UAE at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium. Oman meet their opponents in the semi-final of the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27", and Sektioui insists his side are ready mentally and physically for the eagerly awaited encounter.
Speaking at the press conference, Sektioui said: "We are ready mentally, physically and in terms of health for the match, and we still have one final training session ahead of us. The players will take to the pitch with their hearts and minds alongside the Omani people, in order to bring them joy."
"Everyone was expecting Oman to go out, but football for me is a school of life that goes beyond the boundaries of the green rectangle, and every day it gives us lessons related to matters bigger than football," he added.
He went on: "Anyone who wants to criticise, let them direct it at me. As for the players, they are doing a wonderful job. Omani football, compared to others, gives the players a great desire to overcome difficulties. We have players with experience, and others who are young in age and must not be exposed to criticism."
Respect for the UAE ran through his words, too. "We do not underestimate ourselves, and at the same time we respect the opponent. The UAE for us is like all the teams we face. The semi-final speaks for itself, and over 90 minutes there are no big differences between the two teams," Sektioui said.
Oman's coach then revealed how much his side had gained from the tournament. "The Oman national team is benefiting a great deal from this tournament, and is showing itself to a greater extent despite the difficulties. I say it clearly: the Oman national team is growing at Gulf 27," he explained.
"The Oman national team is known in the Gulf and in Asia, and what it has reached did not come by chance, but is the result of planning that lasted for years in order to build a team for the future, and it has now reached a stage of maturity," Sektioui added.
Turning to his semi-final opponent, Sektioui said: "I have faced the UAE national team before in the Arab Cup, and I also know the UAE league. The current UAE national team is not the previous team, as it has undergone major changes, even at the level of the technical staff."
The Oman boss pointed out that the UAE had used their final group match to rotate the squad, resting players for the semi-final.
An Iraqi journalist closed the conference with an apology for comments made by some Iraqi media outlets after the last match. Sektioui replied: "I salute the brotherly Iraqi people, for they are a beautiful and refined people. Football is a game that brings peoples together, and when the final whistle is blown, everything comes to an end."