Clubs Refuse to Release Players, Jeopardizing Iraq's Olympic Dream – Coach Speaks Out
7 January 2026
Roster Shortage Ahead of Asia U23 Championship
Emad Mohammed, head coach of Iraq's Olympic team, publicly expressed heartbreak over a critical shortage of players as the Lions of Mesopotamia prepare for the Asia Under-23 Championship in Saudi Arabia.
Iraq will begin its continental campaign tomorrow, facing China in the opening match of Group D.
Mohammed said in the pre-match press conference that the team arrived late in Saudi Arabia due to circumstances beyond the coach's control, as key players could not join the squad on schedule because of their commitments with their clubs in the Iraqi league.
He added: "Several clubs refused to release players for the tournament, which forced me to reshuffle the squad and pick players who were not in the final list."
Mohammed also thanked all clubs that cooperated with the Iraqi team to compete in this tournament and represent the nation in the best possible way.
The coach noted that some clubs intervened by including players outside the list submitted to the Asian confederation, raising questions about the spirit of cooperation traditionally shown in Iraq's football collaboration.
He emphasized that the Iraqi federation continues to complete the squad, despite the team traveling with 20 players and three others still in the official list. He concluded by saying the tournament matters as preparation for players born in 2005 ahead of the Los Angeles Olympic qualifiers, with the aim of benefiting from the tournament and gaining essential experience.
Sniper punchline 1: If roster changes were a sport, Mohammed would have a gold medal for pinpointing problems—one precise shot at excuses, and the rest dodge the target like a bad pass.
Sniper punchline 2: In football as in comedy, the best aim is to score goals; when clubs guard their rosters like treasure, at least let the ball find the net before the punchline lands.
