Dr. Ahmed Alawadi, a prominent football analyst, has emphasized that the responsibility for the UAE national football team's unsuccessful bid for direct qualification to the World Cup largely falls on the players themselves.

He stated that the delay in terminating coach Bert van Marwijk's contract and the subsequent appointment of coach Cosmin Olaroiu are not the main reasons behind the team's struggles.

Dr. Alawadi noted that the UAE Football Association provided all necessary resources to the players, indicating that both van Marwijk and Olaroiu were expected to select the best talents from the ADNOC Pro League to represent the national team.

He lamented that, despite the availability of highly qualified players, their performances did not meet expectations.

Furthermore, Dr. Alawadi argued that evaluating Olaroiu's impact should be premature based on only two matches against Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, stressing the shared responsibility among clubs and players in this context.

He pointed to the contradiction in having a strong professional league that is highly ranked in Asia without a standout striker to lead the national team’s front line.

Dr. Alawadi highlighted that the national team missed a valuable opportunity for direct qualification during the third round of qualifiers.

He noted that Uzbekistan commenced their campaign before the domestic league had started yet still secured direct qualification.

Looking ahead, he expressed concerns about the Asian playoff, which will be challenging, with only one direct qualification spot available in each group and limited matches for teams to secure that spot.

Dr. Alawadi conveyed that the national team finds itself in a difficult predicament, but stated that direct qualification remains within reach.

He recognized positive indicators from Olaroiu's brief tenure, particularly pointing to the selected squad as one of the best in years.

However, he stressed the need for a significant change in the players' mindset, highlighting the distinction between local and international players.

Dr. Alawadi reiterated that the World Cup serves not just as a football competition but as a global platform for promoting the UAE.

He maintains confidence in the players' ability to realize this shared aspiration.

He emphasized that true character emerges in challenging situations and called upon all players to embrace their honor in representing the national team as a significant commitment and national duty, demanding their utmost effort to fulfill the aspirations of the Emirati people.