AFP, Melbourne :
Saudi Arabia’s caretaker coach Cosmin Olaroiu Saturday said he’s spending as much time acting as a psychiatrist to his players as imparting tactical wisdom at the Asian Cup.
The Romanian said strengthening the mentality of the Saudi players was one of his biggest challenges as the three-time champions look to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
“Improving the psychology of the players is a very important part of my job,” he told reporters on the eve of their crunch Group B clash with Uzbekistan.
“You need to build the confidence of the players. Attitude if the most important thing in football.”
Saudi Arabia won the last of their three Asian Cup titles in 1996 and were runners-up for a third time in 2007 when they were stunned by Iraq in the final, but have slipped behind the region’s powerhouses Japan, South Korea, Iran and Australia in recent years.
“There is more to football than what happens on the pitch,” added Olaroiu, manager of Dubai-based Al Ahli and coaching the Saudi national team part-time until the end of the Asian Cup.”
