Amman: Moroccan head coach Badou Zaki's selections for the friendly against Australia have raised a wave of questions among observers. Several players who impressed for their clubs in recent Professional League rounds have been left out, while others who have not had enough minutes, or have not delivered the expected level recently, have been included.
اضافة اعلان
Wehdat defender Arafat Al-Haj's absence from the 25-man squad stood out, despite the standout form he has shown this season and his contribution to his team's strong defensive showing. Wehdat have kept clean sheets in six of their eight matches, conceding just two goals, making them the strongest defensive line in the competition so far.
The omission raises questions about the criteria the coaching staff uses to assess defenders, and how closely selections are tied to the performances players deliver in domestic competition.
Question marks also extend beyond the defensive line to the attacking options. Striker Bahaa Faisal, who plays professionally for UAE side Al-Emarat, continues to be absent despite his eye-catching goalscoring in the First Division, having scored in his last four consecutive matches, and his role in leading his team to the top of the table.
The coach indicated at the press conference that Bahaa's non-selection was linked to him not reaching the required level of fitness. However, his continued goalscoring and good performances bring back questions about the coaching staff's stance on him, and the opportunities he needs to prove he can add value to the national team.
It was also notable that Al-Hussein Irbid players Arif Al-Haj and Ahmad Al-Salman were left out, despite shining in recent matches, which drew criticism of Zaki.
By contrast, the call-ups of some names, including Ghaith Al-Maddadha and Mohammad Abu Al-Nadi, raised other questions, particularly given their limited appearances or failure to show convincing form recently, according to observers.
Although the coach's choices are linked to technical convictions that may not be fully clear to the public, the comparison between some players' form for their clubs and their chances of representing the national team remains present whenever a new squad is announced.
Criticism extended to goalkeeping too, with Wehdat goalkeepers Mohammad Al-Amawasi and Ahmad Arabash left out, despite looking good this season and helping their team keep clean sheets on several occasions. The squad included Abdullah Al-Fakhouri, Ahmad Jaidi and Murad Al-Falouji.
Among the most notable observations about the squad is the continued absence of a specialist centre-forward. The selections have not included a domestic striker who has established himself as a goalscorer in the recent Professional League rounds, despite the team's need for varied options in the final third, with striker Yazan Al-Nuaimat still out injured and not yet replaced by a player capable of adding value.
With the team preparing for the friendly against Australia on the 17th of this month, the match is an opportunity for Zaki to test his options and assess a number of players. The sports public, meanwhile, hopes the coming period will bring greater flexibility in selections, to ensure the best performers in the domestic league are used and to strengthen competition for places across the squad.
National coach Mohammad Al-Ababneh said that the timing is better for Zaki now that the Asian Cup has been postponed until the end of next year, giving him the chance to try out several new players, in the absence of some prominent names through injury.
Al-Ababneh told Al Ghad that a number of players who shone in the domestic league and abroad deserved a place in the current squad, such as Al-Hussein player Ahmad Al-Salman, as well as Bahaa Faisal and Yousef Abu Jalboush "Sisa", who plays in Algeria.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting by: Mohanad Juwailes
