From the first list to the Asian Cup.. Al-Zaky opens the door of Al-Nashamy to new options
Amman5 min read
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The national football team begins a new phase under the leadership of Moroccan coach Badou El-Zaky, focusing on expanding options, assessing player readiness, and building a group capable of dealing with the upcoming Asian commitment, amid rising aspirations after the Al-Nashamy reached the final of the Asian Cup and the Arab Cup, and the historic participation in the World Cup.
During the press conference held by the technical staff last Thursday to announce the list of the national team for the upcoming gathering, El-Zaky confirmed that the door of the national team is open to all players, and that the current and future choices will be based on readiness, performance, work, and effort on the field, in a clear message that the current list does not close the door to new options during the next phase.
Observers of the football scene believe that expanding the base of selection represents one of the most prominent features of the new phase, especially as the technical staff has a limited period of time before the 2027 Asian Cup finals, which requires assessing the largest possible number of options and testing their ability to integrate with the style of play that El-Zaky seeks to establish.
The list included 28 players, most of whom maintained the elements that formed the core of the national team in the past period, along with a number of additions, including Alex Samir, who was called up for the first time to the ranks of Al-Nashamy, while the technical staff continues to monitor players inside and outside Jordan.
Former national team star Grace Tadros believes that El-Zaky's choices in his first list were logical in light of the short period during which the technical staff took over his mission, noting that the coach did not have a long time to follow the Jordanian football competitions, and his observations were limited to a number of matches, including the Super Cup matches, and the competitions of the first and second weeks of the league, in addition to the matches of Al-Hussein Irbid and Al-Faisaly in the AFC Champions League 2.
Tadros said that what El-Zaky saw during this period led him to add some players who, in the opinion of the technical staff, deserve a chance with Al-Nashamy, expecting that the door will remain open to any player who proves during the next phase his eligibility to join the national team.
He pointed out that this also applies to Jordanian players who are professionals outside the Kingdom, explaining that the opportunity will be available to any player who can provide an addition, including Alex Samir, along with other players of Jordanian nationality who are undergoing professional experiences outside the country, and the technical staff can benefit from their potential before participating in the upcoming Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
For his part, former national team goalkeeper and goalkeeper coach Khalid Al-Bakar said that he has been following Alex Samir for a period, indicating that the player is performing well, and his call-up for the first time to the national team represents an important opportunity for him to get to know the atmosphere of the national team and the requirements of international play.
He added that Samir needs some time to adapt and integrate more with the group, noting that his presence in the upcoming gatherings will help the technical staff to assess his capabilities closely, and also give the player a chance to gradually gain experience and blend with the atmosphere of the national team.
In this context, El-Zaky confirmed that the technical staff is looking for players who can provide an addition, whether they are active in the Jordanian league or outside the Kingdom, noting that technical performance will be the main factor in determining the choices.
This vision comes as the national team continues to build its preparations for the Asian finals, where it will play two friendly matches against Syria and Venezuela, giving the technical staff an opportunity to test more than one option and formation, and assess the capabilities of the group, away from focusing on the result alone.
The national team will begin its training next Tuesday at the Nashamy Preparation Center, before facing Syria at 8:00 PM on Sunday, September 27 at King Abdullah II Stadium, and Venezuela on October 6 at the same stadium.
The Asian commitment is early in the calculations of the technical staff, as the national team will meet Uzbekistan, Bahrain, and North Korea in the group stage, after being placed in Group 2, while the finals will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027.
In parallel with the search for new options, the basic elements remain present in the calculations of the technical staff, as El-Zaky confirmed that striker Yazan Al-Naimat will be with the national team in the Asian Cup if his readiness is complete, while regarding Yousef Saleh, he indicated that the fans will see him soon with Al-Nashamy.
El-Zaky said that what he will provide to Al-Nashamy is professionalism and honesty in work, expressing his confidence in the national team, and pointing out that the Jordanian street is looking forward to the Asian Cup, and the technical staff will try to achieve that.
