Saudi Arabia
By Richard Pedler
JAKARTA (JP): Within just 20 years petro-dollars, combined with fanatical patronage by the ruling Royal Family, have put the previously anonymous Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Asian and world football map.
In a virtually rainless nation, the grass pitch has become the desert's recreational oasis. Soccer has been developed from scratch, and the Saudis have already won the World Under-16 Championship. Undefeated in qualifying for USA'94, the Royals rewarded each of the squad with US$100,000 and some land.
Playing on oil
Back in the Eighties, some Saudi football surfaces were made from oil rolled across the sand. King Fahd invested half a billion dollars in the beautiful tent-shaped Fahad International Stadium, which then staged the World Youth Cup in 1989.
Although banning foreign players for six years (1986-92), Saudi soccer has developed thanks mainly to a stream of imported coaches from Europe and South America. Current Brazilian team coach Carlos Parreira, Mario Zagalo, Tele Santana and Didi head the list which more recently included Leo Beenhakker. The Dutchman was employed for three months before the Royal Football Federation objected to his "rigorous" coaching methods.
Beenhakker has since taken his complete dossier on Saudi Arabia's players to group rivals Holland.
Royal diplomacy
Earlier this year, King Fahd called up President Menem to ask for help in hiring Argentinean Jorge Solari. Solari's Christmas present had been the sack from Newells' Old Boys for putting his faith in (and gambling the club's money on) a certain Diego Armando Maradona. With understandable hesitation, he accepted the post.
Solari will know exactly what is not expected of him. Brazilian Candido was unfortunate enough to disobey a telephone order to substitute his keeper, and was immediately dismissed midway through the final qualifying tournament. The King's siblings will continue to pick the team and tactics while the coach keeps the players fit.
Over to Prince Faisal, Saudi FA President and Minister of Sport. "We are very strong technically and World Cup spectators are going to enjoy the skills of attackers like Youssef Al Thunyan and Fahad Mehalel, not to mention the great left foot of Khalid Al Muwallid in midfield."
Strikeforce
Thirty-five-old Majed Abdullah Mohammed, better known as 'The Desert Pele,' has been recovering from injuries. The striker has, if Saudi records are to be believed, 165 caps and 118 goals. He will be supported from midfield by Saeed Owairan, a strong, skillful counter-attacker and free-kick specialist.
World-class keeper Mohammed Al-Deayea is the main reason the Saudis are in the USA. With a "naive" defense that is under frequent attack and regularly breached, time and again he has saved his side. He can expect plenty more opportunities to demonstrate his ability against the Dutch and Belgians.
Content with just getting there, don't expect much resistance from the weakest nation to first round defeat: "America will be a learning process, but at the 1998 Finals we shall be quarter- finalists!" promises Prince Faisal. The USA'94 Committee will be delighted to host the Saudi Royals, however brief their tournament interest.
Tomorrow: South Korea