UAE Professional League Committee - UAE Pro League Committee

Ali Khaseif: “Ismaeil Matar and I plan to coach a UAE Pro League club together when we retire”

Al Jazira and UAE national team goalkeeper Ali Khaseif spoke exclusively to www.proleague.ae, sharing with us his pact to go into coaching together with Ismaeil Matar when the pair retire from playing, and confirming that he and the entire Gulf Cup-winning squad have clubbed together to build a mosque in Fujairah following their success in January. With another impressive win for the UAE and progression to the Etisalat Cup final under his belt in the last seven days, Khaseif looks ahead to the remaining games of the season as his club still has three shots at silverware.

After losing against Al Ain when you met in Round 18, and now trailing them by 11 points, has Al Jazira surrendered in the title race?

Of course not, there are still eight rounds remaining in the League and we can do better in these final eight games and keep challenging for the top spot. This is always our target.

What has Al Jazira’s new Spanish coach Luis Milla brought to the Club, and was the timing right to change the coach?

As a player I respect the administration’s decisions on if and when to change the coach, and all I can do is perform my duty on the pitch under the leadership of any manager. I think bringing in a new coach has increased the competitive spirit in the squad as we all try to impress him and book our places in the starting line-up, and I also think that he needs more time to settle and impose his footballing philosophy on the team.

How do you describe the modest performances of midfield maestro Diaky for Al Jazira this season?

Diaky is a very strong player and I hope to see him back to his best very soon because Al Jazira needs a player of his quality. It’s natural for any player to suffer a dip in form but we must not forget what Diaky has achieved over the past six years, being one of our most prominent players and winning many titles. He has been influential in Al Jazira’s success in recent times.

Are you satisfied with the level of the foreign players at Al Jazira this season (Oliveira, Fernandinho, Delgado and Hyungmin Shin)?

The foreign players are part of the team as a whole, and as long as the team is doing well then they can perform to a good level too.

You have just one point after two rounds in the AFC Champions League, what do you think about this knowing that this competition is one of Al Jazira’s main priorities?

Al Jazira represents the UAE when participating in this regional tournament, and we have enough experience to overcome the setback of losing our first match against Tractorsazi Tabriz and drawing at home to Al Shabab. There have been many occasions when teams lose their opening game but go on to make the final.

Last year in your AFC Champions League fixture against Esteghlal in Iran, you hit the ‘SpiderCam’ suspended above the pitch with two goal kicks in a period of 30 seconds. Did you aim for it?

No, not at all, it wasn’t intentional! It’s impossible to target a tiny camera suspended 20 meters above the ground. Everyone was surprised by how my goal kicks hit it twice in quick succession, but probably if I would attempt ten times in a row to hit it on purpose I wouldn’t succeed.

Who is the attacker that Ali Khaseif fears most?

I don’t fear any attackers, despite competition from big teams and dangerous strikers in the Etisalat Pro League and AFC Champions League. In fact, I’m afraid of my teammates when the team is not playing to our usual capabilities and I feel a sense of fear.

Al Jazira is competing on all fronts – in the Etisalat Pro League, now in the Etisalat Cup final and also in the AFC Champions League – what do you think is the most important tournament for the Club?

All of the tournaments are important to Al Jazira, and I’m surprised by the people who diminish the significance of the Etisalat Cup, although it can be difficult to prioritise this competition due to the fact that the games usually fall during the international breaks, so any players representing their national teams are not usually available to feature in these matches. I’d like to see it scheduled differently so that it can be treated with more value.

How do you see the level of organisation of the Pro League Committee’s Competitions?

There is a big difference between the amateur time of old and the professional setup now, and I am one of the players whose career has spanned both periods. I think things are improving step by step, especially in relation to things like media and marketing, and there’s a general improvement to the outlook of the League.

Moving onto UAE national team matters; when Ismael Matar is not playing, it is you who sports the captain’s armband. How do you feel about this?

It’s a great honour, and I found myself assigned the deputy captain role as I now happen to be one of the oldest players in the squad, despite being one of the youngest only two years ago. I really hope that we can reach the World Cup 2014 finals with this young squad lead by Mahdi Ali, having won our opening two games in the qualifiers so far.

Who are you closest to in the team?

The closest person to me both inside and outside the team is Ismael Matar. We have a very strong relationship; always meeting together out of football to go shopping or to car shows and other gatherings. We also have a verbal agreement between the two of us that when we hang up our boots and stop playing, we plan to make up the coaching team of a UAE Pro League side, with Ismael as the coach and me as the goalkeeping coach. But Ismael might have to wait at least five years for me because he will definitely retire before I do…!!

We heard you’re going to build a mosque in Fujairah; is this true?

Just to clarify, I’m not on my own in doing this. The story is that after winning the Gulf Cup 21 in Bahrain I put the idea of building a mosque in Fujairah to all the players on the team, and we have all contributed to make it possible. Inshallah over the next few months the mosque will be opened and I’m sure it will be well worth it.

Tell us about your relationship with Wigan’s Omani goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi; is it true that you are good friends and how did you become close?

Yes, my friendship with Ali Al Habsi – the best goalkeeper in the Asian continent – began when Al Wahda and UAE national team player Hamdan Al Kamali gave him my phone number and now our phone calls have become almost a daily routine, and we always call each other after our matches to check up on one another and ensure that we are doing well. I hope to one day reach the level of Al Habsi and play in one of the European leagues too.

Who do you think is the best player in the UAE, in the region, and in the world?

Ismael Matar, Ali Al Habsi and Iker Casillas.

What are your favourite teams in the UAE, in the region, and in the world?

Fujairah, Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia, and Real Madrid.

And finally, you have been married for almost a year now – is there a baby on the way, and what will your first child be named?

No baby on the way yet, but my first son will be called Khaseif Ali Khaseif Hamid Khaseif.