Any game for a coach can be his last: Olaroiu

Olaroiu's future at the Red Knights still seems uncertain.

Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu didn't say much about his future with the club, saying that "any game for a coach can be his last."
The Romanian also said that it would be wrong pass judgement on his players based on just one game and added that he may have erred when it came to selection.
Cosmin, whose future at the Red Knights still seems uncertain, also took full responsibility for the defeat against Al Jazira in the semifinal of the President's Cup.
The shrewd tactician has won multiple pieces of silverware during his five-year stint with both Al Ain and now Al Ahli. But the prestigious President's Cup crown continues to be the big one missing from his trophy cabinet.
An Ali Mabkhout hat trick at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain extended that run, which also denied the Red Knights of a fourth straight entry into the summit. The game could probably be the last we see of him with the Red Knights.
"It was not a happy night for us," Olaroiu said after the 3-2 loss to the Pride of Abu Dhabi.
"We could not find the necessary incentives and we played without spirit. We also conceded two goals through set pieces. Unfortunately. we did not have luck in the tournament. I take responsibility for the defeat and I may have made a mistake in selection because I relied on some things that did not work. It has been a long season and we were close to playing another final. So, you shouldn't judge the players from one game," he added.
The 46-year-old also said that Al Jazira played a highly tactical game and capitalised on Al Ahli's mistakes.
"Al Jazira played a highly tactical game and took advantage of our mistakes. They played well and deserved to qualify. In football or any sport, one must recognise that the opponent can be better than you. I think when we play as a team and we put the interests of the group, we perform much better. But when we play individually, things like this happen. Nevertheless, I would like to say that winning the League was a great achievement and I repeat that we shouldn't judge the players from a single match. It is just that we lacked focus but we must not forget what the players have done through the entire season.
Meanwhile, Al Jazira coach Henk ten Cate said the victory was a significant one considering the situation the club was in, in January. The Spiders were hovering around the relegation zone for the first time in their history, before they set things in order. "This achievement is very significant in view of where the team was in January and all the tough conditions we experienced. I'm very pleased because the players reaped the rewards after the sacrifice and hard work they had put in," Henk ten Cate said.
The Dutchman also said that the change in mentality after winning a tough quarterfinal against Al Sharjah, was also one of the reasons for their success.
"Al Ahli are the best team in the country, the League champions and they have outstanding players. But the fighting spirit and mentality shown by my players during the game against Al Sharjah changed things around," added the former FC Barcelona and Chelsea assistant. - james@khaleejtimes.com