Is Arnold battling professionals? The full truth behind Iraq's lineup against Oman

Australian coach Graham Arnold has faced a wave of criticism and accusations from Iraqi fans and some analysts, who have accused him of undermining professional players. This backlash came after the lineup he fielded in the match against Oman in the first round of the Gulf Cup "Gulf 27".

Arnold entered the match with a lineup consisting of Ahmad Basel in goal, and in defense were Akam Hashem, Zaid Tahseen, Ahmad Yahya, and Mustafa Saadoun. In midfield were Karrar Nabil, Zaid Ismail, Mohammed Qasim, and Ibrahim Bayesh, while the attack was led by Ayman Hussein and Hassan Abdul Karim "Quqia".

This lineup does not feature any professional players in Europe, as the Australian coach has fully depended on players from the Iraqi Premier League, alongside the duo from Pakhtakor, Ayman Hussein and Zaid Tahsin. This has sparked widespread debate in sports circles, especially since the list of the Lions of Mesopotamia includes a significant number of professional names outside Iraq.

Sources close to the national team have revealed the truth behind this matter, confirming that coach Graham Arnold decided not to start the professional players from Europe for purely technical reasons. Their very late arrival to the squad and having participated in very few training sessions before the match against Oman made him concerned about their physical readiness and the possibility of them suffering muscle injuries if they were to be included as starters.

Sources have indicated that the Australian coach also wanted to give new players enough time to adapt to the challenging conditions in Saudi Arabia, as they are not used to playing in conditions with significantly high humidity. Arnold believes that local players are better able to adapt to these conditions due to the similarity in climate between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, especially since most of them have previously played in the city of Basra, which is known for its high humidity.

Sources indicate that the Australian coach is expected to make significant and radical changes to the lineup that started the match against Oman, as he will give greater opportunities to professional players in the upcoming matches, specifically Zidane Iqbal, Amir Al-Amari, Ahmed Qassem, and Youssef Al-Nasrawi, who joined the national team just one day before the match against Oman.

Sources have concluded their statements by confirming that the coach is not at odds with the professional players at all and that everything raised about this topic is unfounded. He has only set a clear strategy for their gradual involvement in the tournament and will rely heavily and fundamentally on them in the upcoming matches against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, as he wants to compete strongly for the Gulf title despite the draw at the start of the journey.