Camili: Al Dhafra is “big” and his natural place is in the “professionals”

Moatasem Abdullah (Dubai)
The Brazilian coach, Al Dhafra, Paulo Camelli, confirmed his team’s ability to compete to win the title of “First Division” champion for the current season 2023-2024, and its rapid return to the ranks of the “ADNOC Professional League” clubs, with the start of the next season, as Al Dhafra currently occupies the runner-up position in the overall standings with a score of 28 points from 15 matches, and two rounds before the end of the first round of the league, which is led by Al-Orouba, the “winter champion,” with 36 points.
The 63-year-old “veteran” Kamili, who took over the job starting from the 2-0 match against City in the 11th round, succeeding the national Abdullah Misfer, said in special statements to “Al-Ittihad”: “Being in the first division does not negate the fact that Al Dhafra is a big club and its place.” This is normal in the professionals, and I did not hesitate to accept the challenge, and we will fight to win the first league title for a quick return.”
Camelli believed that the circumstances of successive injuries among his team's ranks, which deprived him of the most prominent elements, during the last period, affected the overall performance of the results, after “Al-Faris” scored 9 points in 5 matches in a row under the leadership of the Brazilian coach, by beating City 2-0 and drawing a draw. With United and Al-Taawoun 1-1, and against Al-Orouba 0-0, before winning in “Round 15” over host Gulf United 3-1.
He added: “The team suffered various injuries among the players, and I found great difficulties in choosing players for the starting lineup in each match. This situation was one of the reasons that led to the not-so-good results, but we are in a better physical condition now, and this was reflected in the overall performance, especially in the match.” The last round against Gulf United.
Al Dhafra coach revealed that the Brazilian, Diego da Silva, the top scorer in the First Division League in the last three consecutive seasons, has been removed from the club’s accounts during the remainder of the season, after suffering an injury in his team’s match against Al Dhaid 2-2 in the tenth round, and undergoing successful surgery on a cartilage. Knee” in a hospital in the capital, Abu Dhabi.
Camelli explained: “Diego underwent surgery and needs more time to recover. We are working in consultation with the club’s management to sign a replacement foreign striker during the winter transfer period to compensate for his significant absence. At the same time, if our circumstances permit, we are seeking to contract with national and resident players with the aim of Raising the quality of the team’s performance and enhancing our chances of competing for promotion to the professionals.”
Al Dhafra coach stressed that the priority at the present time is the “Round 16” match against Gulf FC, which is the last for “Fares Al Dhafra” in the first round, and he said: “It is very necessary that we achieve victory in the last match in the league in order to finish the first half.” The first of the season is in the best possible position, and we will have some time to recover some of the injured players, and perhaps we will be able to sign an additional player, and this will help us a lot to achieve more positive results in the second round.”
Regarding the performance of the English striker Tounani Afobi, the Al Dhafra player, who is the top scorer in the league with 11 goals, Camili commented, saying: “Afobi is a distinguished player on the technical level, and has great experience in the league, and he has already scored four goals during the 5 matches in which I supervised the team’s training, and he is He is currently competing for the title of top scorer in the league.”
He added: “Afobe is an important player in my team’s starting lineup, and we will work to bring in other players who will help him with the task of scoring goals, and help the team in general during the current season,” pointing out the difficulty of competing in general in the First League during the current season in light of the presence of 17 clubs.
He continued: “The new regulations in the Premier League, which allowed teams to play with six foreign players, including residents, greatly raised the level and competitiveness of the league, and all teams, regardless of their positions in the ranking table, became difficult to reach and do not lose easily, and this is what made the current season the most difficult ever.” In the last years”.