Felix Sanchez will be offered an improved contract by the Qatar Football Association (QFA) as the national team’s coach following Qatar’s historic Asian Cup 2019 triumph, the QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al Thani said on Wednesday.
“We are working on a new contract for Sanchez for the Asian Cup win,” Sheikh Hamad said on the sidelines of a ceremony to honour the players on winning the Asian Cup.
Sanchez is the first coach of Qatar to win the Asian Cup and the Spanish tactician himself is oblivious of a possible new contract that may see him guide the team until the 2022 World Cup. “I have a current contract and I don’t need to be offered another one.”
Asked how long his existing contract was for, he said he could not “remember”.
Meanwhile, Qatar are preparing to compete in the Copa America alongside Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia.
According to the QFA boss, Al Annabi will have their camp in the United States and Brazil for the South American showpiece that will be played from June 14 to July 7.
Speaking on potential friendly games for Qatar ahead of the Copa America, Sheikh Hamad said, “Our first friendly match will be in June, we will announce the team soon. It will be a South American team (Brazil) but we would still play some small friendlies by end of May and the camp will be in Brazil and the USA.”
The QFA boss added that the association has cancelled the FIFA friendly date in March because the Olympic team as a qualification match for Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Sanchez’s immediate plan, of course, will be to prepare his players for the tournament and the former Barcelona youth coach wants his players to be at their best ahead of the games.
“I am excited about Copa America because it is a big competition and challenge. It will be a necessary experience for the players to arrive in the 2022 World Cup with a better experience knowing what they will face in the World Cup.
“Our next plans are to prepare for Copa America in June, to arrive there at our maximum level because we have to compete and be 100 per cent.”
Sanchez added that there are no plans to host a mini-tournament in Qatar to prepare the players for Copa America.
Sanchez who took over the national job since 2017 said he’s unperturbed about his credentials being boosted rather he’s happy Qatar’s Asian Cup 2019 triumph has made the 2022 World Cup host a force to be reckoned with in world football.
“Winning the tournament in the way – that we did now – makes people know Qatar as a footballing nation, it is good for the players and country that people can now reckon with us and that we can compete at that level.”
Speaking about when he realised the team could win the Asian Cup, Sanchez said it was after their 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia in their final group stage match.
“It was a difficult tournament because we faced top teams on our way to the finals. But the victory over Saudi Arabia gave us the belief and the players felt more confident that they can go all the way in the competition.”
Sanchez had big praise for Almoez Ali who emerged as the tournament’s record goal-scorer. “Almoez had a great tournament scoring an incredible nine goals that were key to our success and it was a teamwork. But his performance was brilliant throughout the tournament.”
By Ikoli Victor
