| All the Oman Football Association (OFA) | | | | disorganization and, knowing that they only |
| members and board of directors, with the | | | | seek easy solutions, perhaps discovered that |
| exception of two, have submitted their | | | | there isnt an easy way back. |
| resignation to the Minister of Sports | | | | |
| Affairs, Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidi on the 26 | | | | Impact of the resignation on out national |
| 12/2006. Two members, who were not present at | | | | soccer team |
| the board meeting, are yet to submit their | | | | |
| resignation. | | | | No matter how much we like to deny it, surely |
| | | | there will be some impact, albeit minimal, on |
| The resignation of the OFA members comes in | | | | our participation in the Gulf Cup which will |
| the wake of the below par performances of our | | | | be held in Abu Dhabi on the 17th of January |
| national soccer teams in its different age | | | | of 2006. This resignation has solved the |
| categories. The resignation was called upon | | | | disorganization with an even bigger |
| by the general public and some 17 regional | | | | disorganization. |
| clubs. As a result, an extraordinary general | | | | |
| meeting was held on 18-12-2006. | | | | New Omani Football Association chairman ? |
| | | | |
| To me it looks like the members of the Omani | | | | I, like many others believe that H.H Shihab |
| Football Association were fearful of the | | | | bin Tariq Al Saeed, current president of Al |
| extraordinary general assembly and the | | | | Seeb club, is the most appropriate and if it |
| possible resulting embarrassment, hence have | | | | does not materialize for one reason or |
| opted to resign instead of being sacked. | | | | another then it is suggested that the job be |
| | | | assigned to someone who has some football |
| There are a few questions, however, in and | | | | background. |
| around this OFA resignation mainly, is it the | | | | |
| right timing for such an action to be called | | | | Opinion |
| upon ? What will be the impact of the | | | | |
| resignation on our participation in the Gulf | | | | Firstly, I believe that H.E Ali Al Sunaidi |
| Cup in Abu Dhabi ? Who will be the new | | | | got the timing of the general meeting wrong |
| chairman of the OFA ? Was H.E. Ali Al Sunaidi | | | | given that the Gulf Cup is only 3 weeks away. |
| correct in scheduling an extraordinary | | | | In my opinion, he should have waited until |
| meeting in this particular period ? What is | | | | the conclusion of the Gulf Cup before taking |
| the real motive behind this group resignation | | | | any action to spare the soccer team and us |
| ? | | | | this debacle, especially that there are |
| | | | around 5 months between the latter cup and |
| Only a few days after writing an article | | | | the Asian Cup 2007 that would have proved |
| about the responsibilities of different | | | | more than enough for this reformation. |
| entities towards the overall well being of | | | | |
| football in Oman, where I have made clear | | | | Secondly, I believe that the defunct members |
| that the Omani Football Association has been | | | | of the OFA board realized that they will be |
| the main culprit in victimizing soccer in | | | | under more fire had they waited until the |
| Oman, we were stunned by the news of this | | | | conclusion of the Gulf Cup, perhaps |
| group resignation by the board members of the | | | | anticipating another below par performance |
| OFA. Although it has been called upon for | | | | from the football team. |
| quite a long time by the general public, the | | | | |
| timing of the resignation is somewhat awkward | | | | Thirdly, I hope this situation does not get |
| and could cause further debacle to the | | | | milked by the new OFA members should the |
| already underperforming soccer national team. | | | | national soccer team fail to live up to the |
| | | | nations expectations in the Gulf Cup, 2007. |
| Resignation reasons that we have been told | | | | |
| | | | Last but not least, I deeply hope that the |
| More than 17 clubs and the general public | | | | same mistakes are not repeated when selecting |
| have been asking for such a resignation due | | | | the new members of the OFA. The association |
| to the recent performance of the OFA. | | | | needs fresh blood, ones that are |
| | | | knowledgeable in football. Ones that question |
| Hidden motives | | | | and critique our national head coach, |
| | | | especially when the national team prepares |
| In my opinion, the board members were fearful | | | | for future tournaments by playing friendly |
| of being sacked as a result of the | | | | matches against third and fourth division |
| extraordinary general meeting and hence have | | | | Czech clubs while other countries like UAE, |
| opted to resign. They are aware that they | | | | Qatar and Kuwait play the likes of Brazil and |
| have taken football in Oman back to the dark | | | | Portugal. |
| days with their miss planning and | | | | |