UAE right-back Fawzi relishing chance to work with man who guided Messi

UAE right-back Mohammed Fawzi is relishing the Edgardo Bauza-era and working with the man who until April trained “the best player in the world” – Lionel Messi.

It is all change with the Whites since a pair of damaging defeats in March against Japan and Australia left hopes of making World Cup 2018 in the doldrums. Paternal coach Mahdi Ali ended an association with the ‘Golden Generation’ which stretched back for more than a decade, four-and-a-half years of which was spent with the seniors, and El Paton was eventually chosen as his successor on a two-year deal last month.

The new man was dismissed by La Albiceleste after eight doleful matches less than two months ago. But this hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of 24-cap Fawzi, ahead of Tuesday’s critical qualifier at eliminated Thailand.

He said: “We have a new coach who was with Argentine and Lionel Messi – this is the best player in the world. I am excited to be with this coach.

“He will help me to become more professional, more experienced.

“He will give me more options to do on the field. I am so happy, too much happy.

“Captain Mahdi [Ali] helped us a lot, I was with him since I was 13. For me, it was my father.”

The new supremo and his players have been in Bangkok since Thursday, following a preparatory camp in Malaysia which contained a 4-0 friendly dismantling of Laos.

A look at Group B’s standings shows an unpropitious situation. The Whites sit fourth in the third-and-final round of qualifying, one place and seven points away from a potential second-ever entry into the globe’s grandest sporting event.

“We believe in football, football is like this,” urged Fawzi. “If you do not believe, you will not achieve.

“Football gives you good things, but it never is easy. When you fight, you get what you want.

“We have a strong game against Thailand. I hope the players will be ready for this moment.”

One coach who has already been pivotal in Fawzi’s career is Al Jazira’s Henk ten Cate. They were briefly together when he was a starlet at Al Ahli in 2010, before the Dutchman rescued him from the bench at Al Ain last summer.

This decision gained valuable reward as the Pride of Abu Dhabi then raced to a first Arabian Gulf League title in six years and Fawzi filled the right-back slot in the Best XI.

“This guy [Ten Cate] took Mohammed Fawzi to a good level and he revived me,” said the grateful utility man. “Thank God, thank Ten Cate and thanks Al Jazira – this is because for two years I didn’t play.”