Al-Nono attacks Yemen

Ali al-Nono fears a Yemeni Gulf Cup collapse Sanaa - Moein Al Nagari Yemeni footballer and the former captain of the Yemen national team, Ali al-Nono has revealed he is disappointed with the team's current Gulf Cup campaign. Speaking to Arabstoday after Yemen's 3-0 defeat to Kuwait in their Group B opener, al-Nono said he feared a Yemeni collapse in the team's remaining group games against Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He blamed the Yemeni Football Association and the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Yemen for the side's poor form, adding both organisations will bear "the responsibility" of losses in the future. Nuno also criticised the "defensive" strategy adopted by Belgian coach, Tom Saintfiet, which he claims was apparent in the match against Kuwait. "The coach employed a defensive strategy as he was convinced that the team will lose, so he tried to make sure there was a case of damage limitation," he said. He attributed this defensive approach to "information given to the coach by the Yemeni Association about the team’s previous losses against Gulf teams."