Sultan Adel is a very important player.. and I love him

The technical director of the Shabab Al-Ahly team, Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa, confirmed that striker Sultan Adel is one of the important elements in the team’s ranks, indicating that he trusts in his abilities and believes that he possesses all the capabilities that qualify him to be one of the most prominent national strikers in Emirati football, but at the same time he stressed that continuity in training and matches is the only way for his strong return to the starting lineup.

Paulo Souza told Emirates Al-Youm: “Sultan Adel for Al-Ahly youth is a very important player, and I love him as a player and striker. I informed the management and the player about this. Before the injury, he was performing at very strong levels, but to achieve personal goals and ambitions, he must fight for his place in the squad, and show great commitment in daily training.”

The Portuguese coach added: “In football, a player cannot be judged by one or two matches, but rather by the extent of his commitment and continuity. Sultan went through a very difficult period due to a severe injury that kept him away from training for a long period, not just from matches. During the past week he suffered from a sharp rise in temperature that lasted for three consecutive days, which affected his fitness and readiness.”

Paulo Souza explained that some people evaluate players without knowing the circumstances they are going through, and he said: “People judge quickly, but the coach is the one who knows the details of the physical condition of each player. For me, there are no percentages in football. I do not say that the player returned 70 or 80%, because the real measure is his ability to continue in training and matches. Throughout the past and current seasons, Sultan was unable to attend training for two consecutive weeks, and if he succeeds in doing so, he will gradually return to his normal level.”

In response to a question about his opinion on the possibility of the player joining the national team and whether he deserves to be in the starting lineup, Souza said: “The national team coach, Kuzmin, I know well and respect him a lot. He is familiar with all the players in the tournament, and his decisions stem from his artistic convictions. I wish him success because his success is the success of all coaches in the league.” As for Sultan, I love him as a player and striker, and I believe in his abilities, but he must prove himself by working daily and continuing in training and matches.”