Viet Nam will take on the United Arab Emirates in their Group B 2007 Asian Cup match at Ha Noi’s My Dinh Stadium on Sunday. Reporter Gia Minh of the Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper had an interview with Viet Nam’s coach Alfred Riedl. Excerpt:
Reporter: Viet Nam will play against the UAE in their first Group B 2007 Asian Cup match on Sunday. Do you have any worries about the team ahead of the game?
Alfred Riedl: At present, none of my men is injured and everything is just fine. Overall, each of our Group rivals worries me because they are all much stronger than we are.
The UAE, Qatar and Japan play at a higher level, so now I have to find suitable tactics to deal with them.
Viet Nam will meet the UAE, Qatar and Japan respectively. Will that schedule trouble the national team as they take on defending champion Japan in the last Group B match?
No. I think changing the schedule will not alter anything. The important point is how we perform in the competition.
Have you collected any information about your forthcoming opponents UAE?
I have researched them over the internet and have found that the UAE’s coach Bruno Metsu said that his team has lost seven key players due to injury but I am not going to read too much into this statement; the UAE are at much higher level than Viet Nam, even in the FIFA World Table.
I once saw them play against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and their first squad played in the first half only. However, that was enough for me to realize their talent. Their players are strong and skillful.
What is your target in the upcoming game against the UAE?
We are looking for points in the upcoming match. They are stronger than us but we have an edge when playing at home. Before the last match against Bahrain, I had thought my side could gain only a draw but finally my men defeated the rivals 5 – 3. Therefore, with a little luck, I believe we will earn at least one point in the forthcoming game.
