Growing Up Pains for UAE Football National Team

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According to The National newspaper, Saleh Obeid, a defender on the UAE National Football (soccer) team blamed fast-food for their failure to qualify as Asian representatives for the World Cup which will be held in South Africa in 2010. In the article, he claimed that many players, including himself, would have McDonalds twice daily in the run up to their matches. Moreover, he criticized the preparation (the team played against clubs and not national teams) in addition to some other factors.

My initial reaction, and any other rational person, is GROW UP! As a professional player, you should know that fast food is not something that you should be having, especially in the run-up to important matches. The same goes for the whole team who have let down their whole nation. But can we blame them?! No way, let us blame something else and come up with lame excuses like the ones espouged by Saleh Obeid.

This I feel is symbolic of the UAE nation. As a young nation, it seems they are going through growing pains and have not fully developed yet. When they achieve a success, then it goes to their heads. When they fail or stumble, then instead of getting back up, learning from it and committing to improving, they play the blame game and find something to blame it on. That is the case of an ostrich burying its head in the sand!

UAE Football administrators; do not fall into this trap. Blame the players who chose to have a quarter pounder with Mcfries instead of being up to the responsibility of representing their nation. Treat them like the spoilt brats they are and place them under guard in a hotel for upcoming matches. When they complain, then remind them that they only got what they deserved.