Roel Coumans, who has had a foot in both camps, says the one-off qualifying clash could come down to who has the right mentality
The Socceroos have been here before – they secured a 2018 berth with play-off victories over Syria and then Honduras – but Coumans believes things are different this time.just don’t have any players at the top level of Europe,” he says. “Look at Mat Ryan. He was at Brighton, went to Arsenal, then Spain where he does not play many matches at the top level any more. Four years ago, when we were preparing for the World Cup, we didn’t have that many at a high level.
Another major difference between this playoff and previous ones is the format. The game is still between the third-placed teams from Asia’s Group A and B but rather than the home and away epics of the past, it is a one-off. There is good news for Socceroos coach Graham Arnold as Coumans does not see the June heat as a major factor at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. “While it is hot everywhere, they will play in an air-conditioned stadium. I was there not long ago.
UAE need a different approach, says Coumans. “They should play football, try to control the midfield and avoid physical battles.” The return of Omar Abdulrahman, 2016 Asian Player of the Year, from injury is potentially significant. “He can make a difference but hasn’t played many games. He still has the touch, his left foot is extremely good.”