Cooper's announcement came during a press conference held in Damascus, during which he explained the reasons for his selection of the squad that included 26 players, including 18 professionals abroad and 8 local ones.
The squad included 6 new players representing the national team for the first time: striker Pablo Sabbagh (Alianza Lima, Peru), midfielder Khalil Elias (San Lorenzo, Argentina), striker Antonio Yacoub (Austras, Sweden), defender Ayham Owusu (Haken, Sweden), and goalkeeper Maxime Sarraf (Sweden). CSKA Moscow, Russia), and defender Almar Ibrahim (Seconda Al-Suwaidi).
Regarding the reason for excluding the captain of the Qatari Al-Arabi team, Omar Al-Somah, Cooper said that he chose the squad from players “who benefit the team,” noting that all his players are “equal.”
Cooper added: “I understand that the Syrian public loves a certain player like Omar Al-Somah, and I understand that the player is angry and sad.”
Al-Somah expressed his sadness at being excluded from the team in an interview with the media, criticizing the defensive style in the Argentine coach’s plans.
Regarding Syria's chances in the tournament, Cooper said: “We have enthusiasm and optimism for the tournament and we will fight to go far.”
The Syrian national team plays in the second group alongside Australia, Uzbekistan and India.
The Syrian national team will leave on Sunday for Dubai to hold a training camp, during which it will meet in a friendly match with Kyrgyzstan on January 5, then Malaysia on January 8 in Doha.
The list of “Nusour Qasioun” was as follows:
- Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alama (Tishreen), Taha Musa (Al-Fatwa), Sarraf, Ahmed Madaniyah (Jableh).
- Defenders: Owusu, Amr Janiyat (Al-Wahdat), Moayed Al-Khouli (Al-Jaish), Khaled Kardaghli (Al-Wahdat of Jordan), Muayyad Al-Ajjan (Al-Jaish), Thaer Kroma (Al-Fatwa), Abdel-Rahman Wais (Kalathia of Greece), Amr Al-Maidani (Al-Nasr of Kuwait).
- Midfielders: Ibrahim Hisar (Belgrano, Argentina), Mahmoud Al-Aswad (Al-Karama), Almar Ibrahim, Elias, Ezaquiel Al-Amm (Argentius Joyner, Argentina), Fahd Al-Yousef (Al-Shorta, Iraq), Kamel Hamisha (Al-Karkh, Iraq), Muhammad Othman (Lamphon, Thailand).
- For attack: Omar Kharbin (Al-Wahda, UAE), Ammar Ramadan (Donna Jeska, Slovakia), Muhammad Al-Hallaq (Al-Ahed, Lebanon), Yacoub, Mardik Mardikian (Al-Hamriyah, UAE), Sabbagh.
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