Koeman to focus on fitness

MUSCAT, July 16 - New Oman coach Erwin Koeman is all excited ahead of his first training camp with the national team in Germany. The Dutchman said he will be realistic in his approach to develop the Oman team. ‘’My main goal is to work very professionally to get the best results I can for the Red warriors but we have to be a realistic that we are not Brazil,’’ Koeman told Oman Daily Observer. “There is no coach in the world who can give a promise to any federation to achieve targeted goals but there are certain key performance indicators that can evaluate the work. “I did not give any promises to the OFA but I have some important goals that I want to do. “I have a plan to work together with the clubs to prepare players with good physique and enhance their qualities so that we can have many choices for our commitments in the national competitions. However, I believe that the players themselves have the main responsibility to maintain their fitness. This is how football works everywhere. “I would also focus in giving the opportunity for young players because they are the future of Oman. Those two things will help us to reach the best shape we can to compete with any team. “In football, if a coach wins, everybody will take him on the their shoulders but if he loses, they will bury him in the ground, so that’s football in simple words. But there is no coach who does not work hard to achieve good results,’’ the Dutchman added. The national team will have an external camp in Germany from July 15 to August 6, which will be a great chance for Erwin to work closely with his men. “I have attended more than 20 games in Omantel League and World Military Cup in Italy along with watching some in YouTube, which helped me in the selection for the German camp. “From my past months’ observation, I realised that Oman have many talented players who love to play and like to work, however they were not in their good fitness. “I have made a list of things I need to improve so that we build a very strong squad who can compete with any team we face.” The Dutchman also clarified why he selected players who are yet to get a club. “At this time, it is fantastic to select a player who has no club yet. This is to give him a chance to show his capabilities to the clubs especially as the transfer window is still going on. But after it is closed, my selection will be different and the priorities will be definitely for the players who have a team and play every week. Favourite style of play “Like other Dutch football managers, I am a coach who like to play good football that depends on tactical style like pressing within the available spaces, fighting for the ball and attack with number of players. I have my own football philosophy, but I am very open to adapt and change according to the qualities and type of players I have. So the external camp we will have in Germany will decide a lot of things about the style of play we should focus in the future. I have a plan to work with the OFA and the clubs to improve this issue (fitness of players).” “I will focus more on our tactics within the Fifa matchdays. I know this could not be achieved in a very short period but me and the physical coach have a plan to visit the training of the clubs to understand their work and look how we can develop on the fitness aspect,” he signed off.