Al Duhail First Football Team Head Coach Djamel Belmadi emphasized the importance of securing a victory in their upcoming Doha Bank Stars League fixture versus Al Shahania during his pre-match press conference.
Belmadi opened his statements by saying: “In our last two games, we didn’t manage to get the points we wanted. We know this match won’t be easy because Al Shahania is a strong and organized team. Therefore, we don’t expect a simple task, but our objective is clear: to win and collect all three points before the international break. We will give everything we have to achieve that.”
He added: “In the previous match against Al Rayyan, we didn’t get the result we aimed for. We faced a good team led by a capable manager, and they had a strong presence, particularly during certain periods of the first half and the opening minutes of the second. However, I believe our team reaction in the second half was positive.”
Belmadi continued: “To be completely honest, I feel we deserved more than just a point from that match, especially considering the chances we created and the control we tried to impose. But in the end, football isn’t just about dominance and creating opportunities; we must be clinical and finish games when chances arise. That is what we are working on—we want to control matches and create as many chances as possible, but we must also be effective in converting them. Our goal is always to do whatever takes to secure the win.”
Regarding Tahsin’s impressive performance after coming off the bench and scoring the team sole goal in the last match, Belmadi remarked: “I want to emphasize that he is a player with great talent and potential—that is obvious to everyone. However, talent alone is not enough in football. A player needs continuous hard work, discipline, and dedication to maintain their level and develop over the long term.
We have seen similar situations in the past, whether here in Qatar or with other players, where things didn’t always turn out as hoped. Handling a player at this stage requires a lot of caution from the manager, the club, and his inner circle, especially for an international player with significant capability. He is a very good listener, which is a major advantage. If everyone does their part correctly—from the technical staff to the club and his surroundings—I believe he has a genuine opportunity to build a fantastic career. As for the upcoming match, we know that whenever he steps onto the pitch, he can make a major impact, as we’ve seen. However, there are still areas he needs to improve, and he knows this well. We are trying to find the right balance for him, whether that means starting him or bringing him on as an impactful substitute. It depends on the demands of the match and his readiness, which requires ongoing work, patience, and growth on his part.
