Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Group A - Qatar v Afghanistan - Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar - November 16, 2023 Qatar coach Carlos Queiroz gestures REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari
(Reuters) -Oman coach Carlos Queiroz has criticised the decision to play his side's World Cup qualifiers in Qatar and questioned the fairness of the schedule ahead of the meeting between the Gulf nations in Doha's Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on Wednesday.
The Omanis, bidding to qualify for the finals for the first time, play two matches in four days against Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in a condensed timetable that Queiroz believes favours the 2022 World Cup hosts.
"You know the qualifiers are being played in Qatar's home," the former Real Madrid manager said. "We are playing on three days' rest, Qatar with six days.
"If this is all about fair play for the people who made this decision, then I do not have any comments. I've worked for 40 years in football and this is not fair play for me.
"As a coach, I'll have to accept that and my players have to accept that too. But, my players are stronger and powerful. They believe that we need to work more, sacrifice more and leave blood and sweat on the pitch."
OMAN'S TIGHT SCHEDULE
Qatar play Oman on Wednesday before facing the UAE next Tuesday while Oman face the Emirates on Saturday, three days after their clash with the hosts, to determine who takes one of the two remaining automatic World Cup slots available to Asian teams.
Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran, Jordan and Uzbekistan have qualified for next year's tournament from the Asian confederation with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Iraq battling for the other remaining berth in Jeddah in the current window.
"(Even if I was Qatar or Saudi Arabia coach) I would feel the same," said Queiroz. "I probably would not have said it, but I would've felt the same.
"When I leave the pitch, I want to go home with the right feeling that we won the game fair and square."
The match will be Queiroz's first against Qatar since he was sacked by the country's federation in the lead-up to January's Asian Cup, a tournament won by the Portuguese coach's former team under his replacement, Tintin Marquez.
"In my opinion, if I was still the head coach, Qatar would not have been playing tomorrow," said the 72-year-old Queiroz. "Qatar would have already qualified for the World Cup."
(Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Ed Osmond)
