Can you play soccer in the midst of sandstorms and sand dunes? The "Sons Of The Desert" have found a way. (All that oil money has got to be good for something.)
World Cup experience: Fourth trip, best showing was the second round in USA 1994. (Ironic, eh?)
Group: H -- Spain, Tunisia, Ukraine
Odds: 51:1 win group; 1001:1 win Cup
World Rank: No. 35
How qualified: Topped Asian Group A ahead of fellow qualifiers South Korea.
Nickname: al-Sogour -- "The Falcons" or al-Akhdar which means "The Green."
Key Players: Sami al-Jaber (F, Al-Hilal); Yasser al-Qahtani (Al-Hilal); Hamad Al-Montashari (D, Al-Ittihad)
Choice honey: Considering Islamic law, we may have to leave this blank. I have no intentions of having my eyes poked out with a scimitar.
Icon: Mohammed Al-Deayae has made the most caps in world football history (173). He'll also enter rarified air with his fourth World Cup apperance this June. He appeared headed to backing up youngster Mabrouk Zaid, but the wily vet has wormed his way back into the starting lineup, even if moss is starting to form on his shinguards. Plus, let's face it, you have to give some love to a guy that plays goalies in sweatpants and longsleeve shirt who's homeland is a desert.
Tedious miscellania: Perhaps you can gleen a little more info from the offical Saudi FA website than I can. My Arabic is a little rusty, despite watching Al-Jeezera a few hours each day, oh wait those were "Simpsons" reruns. ... To their credit, the Saudi's are probably the only team in Germany, aside from Italy, with their entire squad playing domestically on the club level. Essentially the whole squad plays for Al-Ittihad or Al-Hilal. ... It's a safe bet none of the starting XI have tasted the culinary joys of a bacon cheeseburger. ... The Saudi's uniforms almost have too much flair. ... As snooty as Bryant Gumbel is, and as foppish No. 1 soccer hater Frank Deford is (note the ludacrious caption to the photo linked), HBO's "Real Sports" is a must watch. Maybe its most compelling segment detailed the exploitation of children as slave camel jockeys in Saudi Arabia. Dispicable, to say the least. ... King Fahd International Stadium, the national stadium, is pretty neat since all 70,000 seats are covered by the roof. I'm not a doctor, but sitting in the desert son for 2-3 hour stretches isn't too healthy. That said, Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, in Jeddah, home to Al-Ittihad (which means United), does not have a roof. Naturally a King is better than a Prince. You don't need to go to med-school to know that. ... The Saudi Premier League is also called "The Custodian of Two Holy Mosque League Cup." Why? Get back to me on that. ... Saudi Arabia is unique since it's name included the royal/ruling family, in this case the House of Saud. The only other is Litchenstein.
General notes: Remember, this team went 0-3 in 2002 with a goal differential of -12, including an 8-0 shellacking to the Germans. (Let's hope any potential suicide bombers have short memories, considering where the 2006 Cup is being played.) ... While there's something to be said of solidarity and familiarity, which the Saudi's own by the barrel full, they appear outclassed, even against Tunisia. Let's face it, the likes of Turkmenistan, Indonesia and Sri Lanka (The Saudi's initial AFC qualifying group) don't have the players the likes of Andriy Shevchenko or Fernando Torres. Still, to their credit the Saudi's went 12-0-0 in qualifying. ... Al-Montashari is the current Asian Player of the Year. That said, big deal. A) He's a defender. B) The runner up was from Uzbekistan. ... Recently lost to Poland 2-1 at home, after the loss rumors circulated that Paqueta, the Saudi coach, was beheadded, er fired. The rumors were false, they merely chopped off his right hand.
Below is perhaps the shining moment in Saudi soccer history:
Worth watching: On television, maybe. When the Saudis face Tunisia on June 14th in Munich live in the flesh? ... only if you have a death wish or want to meet the "44 virgins awaiting in heaven."
Will they win a game?: Survey says -- NEIN!
Suppe Sez: Out of the 30 players listed on the Falcons' roster, 23 names contain the word 'Al.' Imagine if every player on the USMNT was 'O'something' or 'de ____?'
Landon O'Donovan?
Kasey O'Keller?
Clint O'Dempsey?
How about DeMarcus de Beasley?
Brian de McBride?
Eddie de Pope?
Just a thought...
Bottom line: They'll lead Germany 2006 in two things -- most men wearing flowing white robes and most goals conceeded.
Illegal immigration? That's been in the news lately, right? Well round up the Border Patrol, Mexico is next.
For other capsules: Angola--Brazil; Cote D'Ivorie--England; Germany -- Korea
0 Responses to “The Kingdom (of Saudia Arabia)”
Post a CommentLinks to this post
Create a Link