Amman - Doha has emerged as the likely venue for the friendly between the Jordan national football team and Australia, scheduled for next Tuesday, as developments on the match have moved quickly in recent hours. Both the local and Australian federations are working to reach an arrangement that would allow the game to go ahead within the current international break.
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Attention is turning to Qatar as the closest option to host the match, as the Australian team are currently in Doha, preparing for their friendly against the Qatari national team tomorrow. That could make it easier to stage the Jordan match at the same venue, rather than the Australians travelling to Amman, if the two federations reach an agreement.
Recent days have seen a series of developments over the match's future. Some Australian players expressed concern about travelling to the region because of the current security situation, prompting the Australian Professional Footballers' Association to call for the match to be rescheduled or moved elsewhere.
For its part, the local federation has begun taking precautionary steps in case the venue is changed. It has asked Jordan's players to hand over their passports, even though they are currently in a training camp in Amman. This is in preparation for completing the logistical arrangements and obtaining entry visas should a decision be taken to travel to Qatar, which makes it more likely that the match will be played outside the Kingdom.
These developments carry extra importance for the national team, who are seeking to salvage their preparation programme during the current camp. This follows the cancellation of the friendly against Indonesia, scheduled for tomorrow, at the request of the Indonesian federation, which withdrew from the match because of the security situation in the region.
The national team had been counting on the games against Indonesia and Australia to get the most technical benefit possible during the international break, and to give Moroccan head coach Badou Zaki the chance to monitor players and assess their technical and physical levels before upcoming fixtures. The cancellation of the first match has left the coaching staff facing a new challenge, particularly as it is difficult to arrange a replacement at short notice, since most teams are committed to other friendlies during the same period.
For this reason, keeping the Australia match on is a priority for the federation and the coaching staff, whether it is played in Amman or moves to Doha. The Jordanians want to avoid leaving the current camp without any friendly test, and to benefit from facing a side with significant international experience, which is itself preparing to take part in the forthcoming Asian Cup finals.
The national team began training on the evening before last at the Jordan Football Centre in Amman under Zaki, marking the start of the second camp under the Moroccan coach. The coaching staff is focusing on preparing the selected players and addressing some technical details, while monitoring players' physical condition in light of changes to the squad caused by injuries and other circumstances.
The current camp includes 25 players, according to the list announced by the coaching staff. There are hopes of making the most of the available training days, despite the changes imposed by the cancellation of the Indonesia match and the uncertainty over where the Australia match will be played.
Although the request for passports and the start of visa procedures suggest the local federation is prepared for the possibility of travel, the move of the match has not been officially confirmed. It awaits the outcome of talks between the two sides and the final position of the Australian federation on playing outside the Kingdom.
The national team's coaching staff hopes these developments will end with the match going ahead, as it is the only remaining friendly test for the Jordanians during the current camp, after the team lost the opportunity to face Indonesia. Zaki is seeking to use the international break to get a better sense of the players' abilities and build a clear technical picture for the period ahead.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting by: Mohannad Juwailes
