Kuwait youngsters eager to seize chance

Players intensify training for the friendlies.

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 10: Kuwait national team medical director Dr Abdulmajeed Al-Bannai revealed that Mohammed Daham has suffered a cut near his Achilles tendon and will need approximately 10 days to recover. He said he had advised against including the player in the current squad.

Al-Bannai also confirmed that Mohammed Al-Huwaidi is suffering from an adductor muscle tear and requires plasma injection treatment. His condition will be reassessed in the coming days to determine whether he can recover in time for the two friendly matches.

Several other players have sustained minor bruises while representing their clubs in the Zain Premier League. However, the medical staff is monitoring their conditions individually to ensure they are properly prepared.

He added that the team's nutrition specialist had developed a comprehensive dietary program in coordination with the hotel hosting the Blue delegation. The current moderate weather does not warrant extensive use of nutritional supplements, unlike during the hot summer months.

Al-Bannai described the players' fitness levels as "acceptable," praising the fitness coach's efforts to maintain and improve their physical condition. He nevertheless stressed that physical preparation and fitness development are primarily the responsibility of the clubs.

Kuwait's senior national team is continuing its daily training sessions ahead of friendly matches against Syria and Honduras on November 13 and 17, respectively, during the current international break.

Despite the postponement of the Asian Cup from January to December 2027, Portuguese coach Helio Sousa has opted to establish a long-term preparation program for the Blues.

The plan includes training sessions, domestic and overseas camps, and friendly matches during the March and June 2027 international breaks. Preparations will continue for the 2030 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, scheduled to begin next August.

Twenty-eight of the 30 players selected for the camp attended the opening training session at Al-Sadaqa Wal-Salam Stadium, which runs until November 18.

The squad includes Khaled Al-Rashidi, Dhari Al-Otaibi, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, Fahad Al-Hajri, Khaled Sabah, Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi, Rashed Al-Dosari, Abdulaziz Naji, Waleed Saad, Muath Al-Dhafiri, Saleh Al-Makhtab, Hamoud Al-Sanousi, Abdullah Al-Saeedi, Abdullah Al-Qurayzi, Nasser Faleh, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Mohammed Al-Huwaidi, Jassim Al-Matar, Mahdi Dashti, Muath Al-Osaimi, Bandar Al-Salama, Mubarak Al-Fenini, Eid Al-Rashidi, Shabeeb Al-Khaldi, Youssef Nasser, Abdullah Al-Awadhi, Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi, Mohammed Daham and Youssef Majed.

Sousa's decision to summon a large squad aims to give as many players as possible a chance to feature in the two friendlies. The list includes several promising young talents, notably Ali Hassan, Waleed Saad, Abdullah Al-Qurayzi, Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi, Saleh Al-Makhtab, Abdullah Al-Saeedi, and Hamoud Al-Sanousi.

Saad and Al-Saeedi are receiving their first national team call-ups, while several others, including Al-Huwaidi, Al-Salama, Al-Fenini, Dhari, and Dashti, have returned after an absence.

Sousa is keen to provide younger players with greater opportunities to demonstrate their abilities, build confidence, and gain valuable experience alongside established internationals such as Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Khaled Al-Rashidi, Youssef Nasser, Eid Al-Rashidi, and Rashed

Former international star and national team general supervisor Mohammed Bunyan stressed that the squad is largely composed of young players who need patience, encouragement, and continued support to achieve the desired progress.

In his first remarks since taking up the position, Bunyan said he was awaiting the coaching staff's preparations for the next phase following the current gathering.

He explained that Sousa and his staff would present their program after the training camp concluded.

Promising Al-Nasr player Ali Hassan expressed his happiness and pride at earning a place in the team.

Ahead of training, Hassan said he had been eagerly anticipating the national team roster announcement.

"When the squad is announced, you cannot even sleep," he said, describing the excitement and pride associated with representing the country.

He identified Ahmed Al-Dhafiri and Shabeeb Al-Khaldi as his role models and expressed hope to give his best, contribute to the team, and make the supporters happy.

Al-Arabi player Bandar Al-Salama expressed his delight at returning to the national team after a lengthy absence, thanking Sousa for his trust and for recalling him to the squad.

He said the players carried a great responsibility to deliver strong performances and bring happiness to the fans, expressing hope that the team would make the most of its two friendly encounters.

The Syrian national team delegation arrived yesterday and immediately began preparations for Friday's encounter against Kuwait. The team will then travel to Abu Dhabi to face the UAE in a friendly next Tuesday.

Spanish coach Jose Lana selected 23 players for the squad: Elias Hadaya, Khaled Ibrahim, Shaher Al-Shaker, Aiham Ousou, Abdullah Al-Shami, Abdulrazzaq Mohammed, Ahmed Faqa, Khaled Kardaghli, Wissam Dakhan, Zakaria Hanan, Mohammed Othman, Elmar Ibrahim, Mohammed Al-Hallaq, Noah Shamon, Mahmoud Al-Aswad, Ahmed Al-Dali, Jan Mustafa, Omar Al-Somah, Omar Khribin, Mahmoud Dawood, Ziad Ghanoum, Mohammed Mustafa and George Younan.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff