Dubai: Shabab Al Ahli Dubai’s coach Cosmin Olaroiu is confident that the steady evolution of his new side will assist in their ambitions for the season.
The new club that resulted followed the merger of three entities in the middle of May this year, made a promising start to the season following a 1-1 draw against Al Wahda in last week’s Arabian Gulf Cup. Olaroiu, who has been tasked with leading the new side, was pleased with what he witnessed in that season-opener.
And now with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai taking on Hatta Club in their Round One match of the Arabian Gulf League (AGL) on home turf on Saturday, the Romanian coach felt that this evolution needs to continue. Al Ahli had finished third defending their title, while Al Shabab came in eighth following a strong start to the season last and Dubai Club was one of two sides earning a promotion into the top tier.
“The most positive thing for me was that my players didn’t give up till the end. They put in a lot of effort to ensure we didn’t start the season with a loss,” Olaroiu told media.
“The good thing that has happened is that we have started to play in the way we had always planned to play. Till now, we had not stuck to the plan. But now, and just one match later, we know the path we need to follow for the rest of the season. The performance [against Al Wahda] was not so bad after all. But we have the capacity to improve and do well for the future,” he added.
Hatta too have been off to a solid start following their 2-2 draw against Al Ain in their Arabian Gulf Cup opener in the first week of October. “Hatta is a tough and physical team who can be very dangerous on the counter-attack. They also adapt a style of play that makes it difficult for any other team, and that is why we need to pay extra attention in the match,” Olaroiu cautioned.
“We cannot afford to relax. We need to stay serious and concentrated and take our chances when they come, or else we will make things difficult for ourselves. In the past few days we have tried to fix things and I think we have reached a good level. But this is not a perfect level. I think things will improve step-by-step. I think we can be a team that is in a position to fight to be the best in the league,” the Romanian coach added.
