The new coach of Kuwait has warned “it is going to take years” for the team to recover from the two-year ban imposed by FIFA.
Football’s governing body suspended Kuwait in October 2015, citing governmental interference in the running of the sport in the country. The national team had to withdraw from qualification for this summer’s World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup, with its clubs not allowed to participate in the AFC Cup. The national team dropped from 139 to 189 in the FIFA rankings.
The suspension was lifted in December, after 782 days, in time for the Gulf Cup of Nations where they managed one goal in three games and exited at the group stage.
Radojko Avramovic has since been appointed as coach and his first games in charge will be against Jordan and Cameroon next month. The Serbian believes he has a big job on his hands to rebuild the one-time kings of football in Asia.
“Kuwait have been out of FIFA for two years and it is going to be very difficult for them to get back to where they used to be,” Avramovic told Arab News.
“They need to catch up as soon as possible but it is going to take years. Only later will they be able to see the damage that was caused by the ban.”
Kuwait once ruled Asian football, winning the Asian Cup on home soil in 1980, qualifying for that year’s Olympic Games and the 1982 World Cup and winning seven of the 10 Gulf Cup titles between 1970 and 1990. Avramovic believes their stock has fallen and that they have been left behind as a result of their two-year hiatus from international football.
“All of Asia has been improving but Kuwait have not been on the field and it is not just about the national team and clubs,” he said.
“The most serious part is the youth. Having no youth competitions means that the damage will be long term. The first thing is to just start playing international games, at all levels. There can be no more time to waste.”
Avramovic is back for his second spell in charge. The 68-year-old had a short time in charge in 2002, leading Kuwait to a first West Asian Games title and then taking the U-23 team to the quarterfinals of the Asian Games. A group-stage exit in the 2002 Arab Nations Cup ended his tenure. There have been 10 coaches in the 15 years since.
“Before there were more quality players than now and I also think that players were a little more serious,” he said.
“But I will do what I can and see what happens. We will have just three days with the players (before the games against Jordan and Cameroon). We will just call (up) the best, have a training session or two and then play. That is all we think about.”
Avramovic has been in Kuwait since November when he was appointed on a short-term contract by club side Al-Tadhamon, tasked with helping them avoid relegation from the Kuwait Premier League. He arrived with the club cut adrift at the bottom with just two points from the first seven games, but he has achieved eight from the following five to give the team a fighting chance.
“We are doing really, really well and while we are still bottom, we have closed the gap, but then Kuwait FA asked me to help so here I am,” said the former goalkeeper.
“We will see what happens. They need a little help and I can help, so let’s see.”
