Sunday marked the two-year anniversary since Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup bid. But the country appears no closer to getting homegrown talent ready for the games, Doha Stadium Plus reports.

Qatar’s FIFA ranking is 104th – “nothing to be proud of,” DSP asserts. To get its talent ready for 2022 – and less realistically, the upcoming world cups in Brazil and then Russia – the country will have to address why youth development has stagnated.

Among the reasons, according to DSP’s special report, titled Despair Tomorrow?:

A high turnover of coaches. ”Unlike most countries, clubs in Qatar are state-funded and they should be contributing to the development of Qatar football. But most club managements are highly whimsical and prefer to make coaches the scapegoats when results are not going their way. Three coaches were sacked after as many weeks of League action this season. At least a couple more are expected to face the axe before the first phase ends on Dec. 15.”

A lack of opportunity for young players in clubs to get off the bench. Michael Browne, head coach of the ASPIRE Academy Football Program for eight years: “You got to get the best youngsters  players playing. If you don’t, their development is hindered. In some cases, it’s stopped permanently. It’s a huge problem Qatar has to overcome.”

Too much attention to money. Young Qatar international Khaled Muftah, one of the only two ASPIRE products to regularly play for the national team: “Sometimes the smaller clubs offer a not-so-attractive contract, which isn’t enough for a Qatari player, who maintains high standard of living. Also don’t think that all Qatari players are multi-millionaires.”

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by wasapninworld