Qatar spikers are leaving today to Iran in order to have a training camp before taking part in the Asian Senior Championship, which will be held in Tehran from July 31 to August 8,
This tournament will be the second major event they will be competing under the Argentinian Coach Juan Manuel Cichello after last year’s Incheon Asian Games.
In the 16-team continental championship, Qatar, ranked 45th in the world, are drawn into Group B along with Australia (13), India (39) and Turkmenistan (141). With only the top two from the group advancing to the knockout stage, Qatar’s plans are very much clear.
Beating Australia would be a huge task while a win against Turkmenistan and India would just be enough to make the cut.
With Turkmenistan looking like an easy opponent, the match against India on August 2 holds key to their progress as the second team from the group.
“Our immediate priority is to reach the last eight. The match against India is going to be crucial, but I feel we can do it,” Cichello told Doha Stadium Plus on the sidelines of the four-nation friendly tournament at the Al Arabi Indoor Hall last week.
At the tournament, Qatar beat India, albeit their under-strength side, in straight sets.
“Though India weren’t at their full strength, a victory against them will surely boost our confidence. We also tried various permutations and combinations,” said Cichello, who had worked with various clubs in Italy and Spain as well as his country’s Under-19 and U-17 teams.
Qatar finished runners-up in the tournament, also involving Egypt and Cameroon, and it helped Cichello’s men get back into match groove.
They suffered their only reversal against African champions Egypt. Cichello looked at the positives.
“Egypt are the FIVB World League Grand Prix champions and they play at a different level. Though we lost, I’m happy we could still win a set. We were at the same level with them for some moments and that’s a major gain,” he said.
“My team is a work in progress. This tournament has helped us continue to improve and get back to competition mode ahead of the Asian Championship,” added Cichello, who has been making his wards go through their paces at a camp at the Qatar Volleyball Association’s Indoor Hall since the conclusion of domestic season in May.
Qatar may have done well in patches in the friendly tournament, but Cichello knows it would not be enough to rattle big teams in Iran, especially if Qatar clear the first hurdle.
While the team is yet to find an ideal setter to replace retired Saeed Juma, Mubarak Dahi Waleed lacks support in attack.
But Cichello feels it is too early to press the panic button.
“We tried different things as we look for the right balance in the squad. There’s no dearth of talent. We’ve 21 players in the camp and we’ll pick the right combination,” he signed off.