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Peter Taylor, Bahrain’s new national football coach, will today start scouting for the talent to take the kingdom to the promised land of the World Cup Finals 2014 in Brazil.
As the ink dries on his two-year contract, in which the financial terms have not been disclosed, the former England Under-21 manager hopes to help unite the country through sport and is calling on Bahrain’s barmy army of football crazy fans to get behind him and the team.
He said: “While watching football footage from the team’s last World Cup adventure I noticed how passionate Bahrain’s fans were. They will come out to watch good football and enjoy themselves. I also thought the team looked really good and were just unlucky not to qualify for the finals.
“I understand the disappointment and frustration of not making it to South Africa but I also think that Bahrain did well for such a small country.
“I have come here to concentrate 100 per cent on football and I am really excited. I would love to produce a team that is entertaining to watch and successful.
“There are good things ahead of us and I believe that there is nothing like good support to help players believe in themselves and play with confidence. I would love for the Bahraini people to come and enjoy match days and get behind their country. To make it to the next World Cup Finals would be fantastic.”
The 58-year-old is one of the most respected English coaches with vast experience at club and international levels. He was also a celebrated player, the first to appear in the national side whilst playing in the third tier of English football for Crystal Palace before being transferred to mighty Spurs.
When temporarily in charge of the full England squad he made the inspirational decision to hand charismatic David Beckham the captain’s armband.
He took Hull City to two promotions and football writer John Fieldhouse, author of From Bust to Boom chronicling the Tigers recent history, said: “Taylor had succeeded where so many before him, had failed. He could be prickly. He could be unpredictable. He was, though, a winner.”
It’s that winning mentality that Bahrain’s success-starved fans hope he can replicate on the pitch after heartbreakingly consecutively falling twice at the final hurdle of qualifying for the World Cup Finals at the play-off stage, losing to Trinidad & Tobago and New Zealand respectively.
The Bahrain Football Association president Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had first approached Taylor two years ago to come to the kingdom but, for unknown reasons, the plan did not reach fruition. However, a deal was quickly wrapped up as soon as he received the most recent call to step forward.
“I have enjoyed the different levels that I have worked at throughout my career but the best was at an international level,” Taylor admitted. “As soon as I found out that I had the opportunity to coach the national team in Bahrain I was very interested. I am really happy to be here coaching international football again ... and I am glad I never changed my phone number!”
It will be quite a challenge – it is Taylor’s first time in Bahrain and the first time the father-of-two has ever coached a team outside of England. He said: “People couldn’t have been more helpful. You feel nervous, I suppose, when you go to another country but after looking around the kingdom and talking to a lot of people I am very confident that I am going to enjoy it.
“The important thing for me is that the players respond well.
“Like any new coach you just look forward to meeting the players; you want them to understand what you are trying to do for them. I had success with England at Under-21 level because they felt that I was a friend and they knew that I was trying to help them with their careers and get them into the senior team.
“I want the players here to feel exactly the same way. I want them to feel comfortable with me. I will be very honest with them and want them to be very honest with me ... and in return I will try to make them better players.”
In preparation for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Bahrain’s national team will shortly undergo an intensive eight-day training programme before flying out on August 4 to either Switzerland or Austria for a 10-day camp.
Taylor added: “The whole idea of the camp is for me to be with the players’ 24-7 so that I can get to know them better. Also, it will be cooler there so that we can up the players training and fitness regimes. It is so warm in Bahrain and not to mention humid – a little ‘different’ to Hull in November! We will also try to arrange a couple of friendly matches too.”
Bahrain, alongside Australia, Korea Republic, Asian champions Japan and Korea DPR are ranked the top five teams in the region and have automatically advanced to the third round of the World Cup 2014 qualifying contest.
They will compete for a place in Brazil starting in September once the earlier qualifying rounds have been concluded.
During the camp Taylor will get a chance to see the quality of the players at his disposal. He also plans to visit all the clubs competing in the national league as well as studying the form of eligible players plying their trade overseas.
The unrest in Bahrain earlier this year caused havoc on the pitch as well as on the street. Apart from games being cancelled and clubs relegated, some top players – including international midfield star Mohamed Hubail – were involved in anti-government protests and found themselves arrested and behind bars, although they have since been released.
Taylor will give every top player a chance to shine in his side. He said: “There are no restrictions as to who I can pick. I will take on whoever is fit and can show me how good they can possibly be. If I believe they are good enough for the squad they will be selected and there are no restrictions whatsoever. I know there are five squad members playing abroad. I intend to go look at them at their clubs, speak with their managers and will do the same in Bahrain.
“The majority of the players are here so I will be looking at all the league matches and visiting the clubs. I hope that the coaches and owners will be happy to see me as well as allow me to observe how their clubs work and how they train and prepare. I’m sure we can all benefit from the relationship.”
Wearing a shirt and tie, and soaking in the sweltering heat on Saturday evening, he watched from the stands an impressive display by Bahrain’s Under-23 Olympic hopefuls as they beat a visiting Philippine senior national team 2-1 at the National Stadium.
Taylor’s wife Jenny will be joining him in Bahrain in September. Daughters Chloe, 33, and Lauren, 30, who both work in the financial sector in England, are looking forward to visiting them.
