There were 14 coaches at the launch of Qatar Stars League’s new season but it was Jorge Fossati who was the cynosure of all eyes. The Uruguayan coach, who is no stranger to football in Qatar after stints with Al Sadd and the Qatar national team, led Al Rayyan to their first QSL title in 21 years last season in his first year in charge.
So it was understandable that everyone at the QSL launch yesterday wanted a piece of Fossati. The 63-year-old tactician was cool and composed as he answered the questions thrown at him with ease.
On the field, Fossati will be expected to do the same. Last year, he transformed Rayyan’s potential and promise to success, as the club ended the title drought of 21 years, romping away to title with five games remaining.  last season’s triumph has laid the foundation for greater glories in the future but the role of Fossati will be crucial.
Fossati, who has extended his contract for further three years, believes it won’t be an easy feat to repeat and expected a strong challenge this season.
“Nobody can predict that we will enjoy the same success like last season,” he said.
“For us to win by more than 20 points was because other teams also lost. So, of course, no one can imagine the way we won. Other clubs have improved. Having said that, Rayyan must be ready to play a very tough league this season. We are a big club and we will aim for the title,” he added.
Fossati said all he has done at Al Rayyan is to impart his ideas and philosophy of football and the players have responded well. He expects his boys to be more motivated than last year, as they are defending the title this time.
“In football your motivation should always be high. When you play for Al Rayyan the champion, the motivation to do well should only increase. I expect my team to go all out to defend the title,” the former Qatar coach said.
Fossati said he is not focusing yet on Rayyan replicating the triumph he achieved in the AFC Champions League with Al Sadd in 2011.
“Our target like last season is to win the QSL. We are in Champions League this time but it doesn’t mean we don’t focus on QSL,” he said.
“The Champions League starts in February and six months before that we play lots of matches in QSL, where we have to do well. My philosophy is to take one match at a time and tell the same to my players. We also have an important game (season-opening Sheikh Jassim Cup clash against Lekhwiya on September 12) coming before the start of the QSL season, we must also focus on that first,” he observed.
Fossati also backed Qatar to bounce back from the opening two losses in the 2018 World qualifiers. They are yet to pick up a point having gone down to Iran and Uzbekistan, with a tough match against South Korea coming up.
“I don’t know what has gone wrong in the last two matches. But what I believe is Qatar has all the quality to qualify for the World Cup. Of course, now it is more difficult but I’m sure Qatar team has time to bounce back and go to Russia in 2018,” he said.