Interview With Hassanin Mubarak
30th September, 2012
Q - Please can you begin by introducing yourself
A - My name is Hassanin Mubarak and I am 31 years of age. I live in London, United Kingdom and I am a sports writer. You can catch my blog at iraqsport.wordpress.com.
Q - How long have you been following Iraqi football?
A - I have been following Iraqi football since the days of Ahmed Radhi, Radhi Shanaishel and Laith Hussein when they were donning the Iraqi jersey. That national team was formed by Adnan Dirjal after the 1991 Gulf War before he was ousted by Saddam’s son Uday for the legendary coach the late Ammo Baba after an opening match 3-2 defeat to North Korea, having led 2-0. The team went undefeated under him in the remaining matches but failed to qualify for the finals in the United States. They did however manage to score a last minute equaliser against Japan and prevent them from reaching the finals with South Korea qualifying ahead of them.
Q - Can you give us a brief overview of the state of Iraqi football at present
A - Last season a league format was re-introduced for the first time since 2003, and was won by high-flyers Arbil. The season before the outbreak of the 2003 war was one of the strongest for many a season in Iraq, with four or five clubs vying for the league title and currently there are not many teams able to compete with Arbil and challenge for the title. Arbil steam-rolled their opponents and went virtually unchallenged throughout last season.
The standard of football is improving, as is every other aspects of football in the country, there are new stadia being built in the city of Basra and Najaf and a few more around the country being planned. The crowds have been returning every season and stadiums such as Arbil’s Martyr Franso Hariri and the Duhok Stadium some of the best stadiums in the country are at full capacity for the big matches as is the Al-Shaab Stadium in Baghdad.
Arbil is the best run club in the country however rivals fans and some officials from other clubs have long suggested that Arbil get favourable decisions from the Iraq FA, on match schedules or postponements of key matches, due to the fact that a key official on the board of the club is the vice president of the Iraq FA. His name is “Mullah” Abdul-Khaliq Masoud and if you want to know how the local game is managed in Iraq, the current administration of the FA is currently taking part in a court case at the CAS/TAS tribunal on allegations of infringements associated with Iraq FA’s electoral process last year. The less said about that the better, the country is littered with corruption and political rivalry and football is no different.
TV Coverage is not up to standard that fans expect for the Iraqi league but key matches are beamed live on Iraqi TV every week though Spanish La Liga football is still the most watched in the country which it has been since the ban on satellite dishes under Saddam regimes was lifted. In Iraq, you are either for Barça or Real Madrid, the last time I was there, there were all kinds of Barça and Real Madrid related merchandise being sold in the shops or local markets, you can even buy Barça or Real Madrid crisps.
Q - Please can you describe the typical matchday experience at an Iraqi league game
A - Matchdays in the Iraqi league are like anywhere else in the world, Iraqi fans are passionate about their clubs and extremely devoted. It is tribal. I remember that even at matches involving the national team at the Al-Shaab, Iraqi fans would boo or whistle when a player from a rival club was on the ball. There would be fans flying flags, banners and banging drums and chanting and singing their clubs to victory.
Q - What sort of coverage does the AFC Cup get in the local media?
A - The AFC Cup is given a lot of media attention in Iraq, it is considered an important international competition and matches are broadcast live on Iraqi TV, while the local press analysis every aspect of the performances of Iraqi teams in the competition.
Q - How much public interest is there in the AFC Cup in Iraq?
A - There is public interest in AFC competitions, though for many years Iraqi teams have had little to shout about playing in Asian competitions, maybe if Arbil lift the AFC Cup this year, more Iraqi clubs will believe that they can do it as well.
Q - What would it mean for Iraqi football as a whole if a local side were to win the AFC Cup?
A - It would send a message to the Asian Football Confederation that Iraqi clubs should be playing in the AFC Champions League but current results of late do not suggest that. Iraqi football has some way to go but I believe Iraqi clubs can compete with AFC Champions League teams, and champions Arbil are one of them. For Arbil it will give them some recognition on the continental stage.
Q - What can you tell us about Arbil FC?
A - From the end of the 2003 War, their wealthy president Dr. Abdullah Majid Dazabi who is managing director of the Falcon Group, has spent millions of dollars over the past few years turning a mid-table side into league champions and he continues to bankroll the club. After winning their fourth league title, the club have let several top players leave during the pre-season such as Ahmed Ayad, Saad Attiya, Muslim Mubarak, Hussein Abdul-Wahid, Mustafa Ahmed, Aws Ibrahim and the Syrian import Abdul-Razzaq Al-Hussein, one of the club’s and the Iraqi leagues best performers last season along with another Syrian Nadim Sabagh, who is still at the club.
However they have spent big once again re-signing Iraq international Mustafa Karim, and three up-and coming players from the Olympic team, goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, right back Walid Salim and a forward Ammar Abdul-Hussein. Ammar Abdul-Hussein was signed from Al-Minaa, and has just been selected for the national team by Zico for the matches against Brazil and Australia. Walid Salim has been signed to play in the AFC Cup on-loan from Al-Kahraba, as has two-goal hero against Kelantan Salih Sadir, who has been signed on-loan from northern rivals Duhok. They also signed the talented Iraqi winger Hawar Mulla Mohammed, the elder brother of Hulgard however he was not given international clearance in time to play in the AFC Cup.
With the success of Ugandan defender Ivan Bukenya last season, the club have signed his fellow countryman Sula Matovu, who has yet to settle into the team. The other African signed this season was Senegalese Papa Ablaye Diop. The key men for Arbil will be the usual players, Hulgard Mulla Mohammed, Loay Salah and the club’s top scorer Amjad Radhi.
Q - What sort of reputation do Arbil have among Iraqi fans and the media?
A - Arbil Sports Club founded in 1968 is a provincial side and spent many years in the lower divisions and their success has only come recently with the millions pumped into the club from their president, much like Abramovich’s Chelsea and the Sheikhs at Man City. So you can understand that they are not the most popular teams in Iraq apart from in the city of Arbil.
The club were promoted to the top division for the first time in 1987 but were relegated in 1990. It was only when they were promoted in 1999 for the third time in their history that the fortunes of the club changed, signing the best players in the country and eventually going onto win three consecutive championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009. After winning a fourth league title and being seen as arguably the best team in the country, the club now want to make their mark on the AFC Cup.
Q - What sort of crowds do Arbil usually attract for home fixtures?
A - The club has a capacity of 16,000 at their home ground the Shahid (Martyr) Franso Hariri Stadium and is at full capacity for majority of the league matches though for many matches against the smaller clubs, there could be a couple of thousand or a hundred spectators at the ground.
Q - What sort of crowd are you expecting on Tuesday night?
A - It is a big game in the AFC Cup and the club’s fans will be on a high after the previous home game so the Franso Hariri Stadium should be at full capacity for the match.
Q - What will the atmosphere be like inside the stadium?
A - It should be a good atmosphere for the match, the local fans will be loud and cheer their players on, but they expect a victory. However if the performance on the night from the players is not up to scratch, the fans may turn on the coach, the team and the players.
Q - Will all Iraqi fans, regardless of club loyalties, unite behind Arbil on Tuesday night?
A - Rivalry is ingrained into club football so I don’t expect diehard fans of Al-Jawiya, Al-Zawraa, Al-Shurta or Al-Talaba to get behind Arbil, as they would if their teams were taking part in the competition. But Arbil are packed with Iraqi national players, and it is representing Iraq and the Iraqi league and any victory for them will be good for Iraqi football, so I expect there would be more Iraqi fans cheering Arbil on to win, than looking to see them lose.
Q - What do the fans of Arbil know about Chonburi FC?
A - Other than Chonburi FC’s victory over Al-Zawraa in the last sixteen, I don’t think the fans of Arbil will know much about them but it is the semi-finals of the AFC Cup and they will expect a good game.
Q - Does Thai football get any coverage in Iraq?
A - Thai football like many other leagues in Asia, is not given much coverage in Iraq.
Q - What are your impressions of Chonburi FC?
A - To be honest I have not seen much of Chonburi FC but they won their group comfortably and beat Al-Zawraa so it should be a good match. They both have enough in their ranks to progress to the final on November 3rd.
Q - What sort of build up has there been to the match in Iraq?
A - The match would have been given a lot more attention and build up, had the Iraq FA not organised a glamour friendly with Brazil in Malmö on October 11 and the national team having a crucial World Cup qualifier with Australia only five days later. Because of this, the game between Arbil and Chonburi FC has been shunted into the back row, however if they manage a morale boosting victory, it will have a positive effect on the national team and their push for a place in the World Cup, with seven players from Arbil selected in Zico’s recent squad.
Q - What are the local expectations for Tuesday night?
A - With a great home record at the Franso Hariri, the home fans that have become accustomed to winning over the years, will expect another victory even more after putting five past Kelantan in the last round.
Q - Would you care to make a score prediction?
A - I expect Arbil to win this game – however they need a good result because the club has continuously failed to perform away from home in the AFC Cup. 2-0 to Arbil, hopefully it will be good enough to see them through. Their performance in the away game will be key to see if they reach the final.
Q - Thank you, Hassanin.
A - You're welcome.
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