Monday 31 / August / 2026
Muscat: Tarik Sektioui, head coach of the Omani first national football team, affirmed that preparations for the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, scheduled to be held in Jeddah in September, come within a work programme that extends beyond the limits of the tournament.
He pointed out that the goal is to build a national team capable of competing with and matching strong teams in the continent.
Sektioui explained during a press conference on Monday that the technical staff attaches great importance to physical and mental aspects alongside working to develop technical aspects, noting that the current stage requires dealing with upcoming commitments in a balanced manner while maintaining focus on age-group categories, which represent a foundation for the development of Omani football.
He indicated that the period he spent with the national team confirmed a great desire among players to develop, with work proceeding according to a vision extending over the short and long terms, and that he seeks to lay down clear foundations that lead the team to the required level.
He clarified that the beginning of his mission included holding a short training camp aimed at getting to know the players closely, assessing their capabilities, and understanding their mindsets and how they handle the requirements of the current stage.
He added that one of the primary goals is reaching a rhythm that enables the team to keep pace with strong teams at the continental level, which requires investing in current players and working to develop them physically and mentally, in parallel with building a future base through attention to age-group categories.
In this context, he stressed the importance of having a specialised academy for talent development, along with organizing a competitive league for age groups extending throughout the season, allowing players greater opportunities for development and sustained competition.
Regarding the preparation programme, he explained that the team underwent three training camps; the first was short and focused on getting to know the players, while the second camp was held in Indonesia and featured two friendly matches against the national teams of Indonesia and Mozambique. The two trials constituted an important opportunity to draw many lessons, and the technical staff currently possesses a work roadmap for the coming days.
He noted that the current group includes distinguished elements working collectively, affirming that the technical staff and players seek to deal with various difficulties and overcome them through joint work.
The national team head coach affirmed that the ambition in the Gulf Cup is to deliver a distinguished performance and present the team in a competitive manner, explaining that thinking does not stop at the limits of the tournament, but rather extends to upcoming commitments.
