Nam Tae-Hee has been playing a key role for Al Duhail for some time now. He is one of the star players in the QNB Stars League.

The South Korean attacking midfielder was adjudged the Most Valuable Player in Qatar in the 2016-17 season — a clear proof of his great skills and talent.

Nam was shortlisted for the Best Player Award by the Qatar Football Association, along with eventual winner Yousef Msakni and Al Sadd’s Xavi Hernandez, last season.

The stocky playmaker also contributed his part to Al Duhail’s brilliant run in the AFC Champions League that saw them storm into the quarterfinal.

Nam spoke to QSL Online in an exclusive interview ahead of their QNB Stars League Week 3 match against Al Rayyan on Sunday, 19th August. Excerpts:

How do you look at the new season?

Well, we’ve had good preparations at the pre-season camp. We’ve a new coach (Nabil Maaloul) and we hope to have yet another outstanding season.

Do you think the good start augurs well for the team?

Yes. We had a good start even though we lost the Sheikh Jassim Cup to Al Rayyan. We got six points. But then, Al Sadd had a better start. In the league, you never know at this stage how things will go.

Who’re the title contenders, in your opinion, in the 2018-19 season?

Al Sadd, Al Duhail and Al Rayyan. Al Gharafa are also a side with huge potential to win the title. There’s no easy game in the league. Those who maintain consistency will emerge as the champions.

How do you look at your upcoming game against Al Rayyan?

In the Sheikh Jassim Cup against them, we played a good first half, but faded out in the second and then in the tie-breaker. This time, we want to play very well throughout the game.

Which players are the most dangerous in the Al Rayyan ranks?

Rodrigo Tabata and Sebastian Soria.

What’s the result that you expect from this game?

It’ll be a close game, but we need nothing less than three points.

What’s your target this season?

I want to win more titles with Al Duhail. I also wish to play all along without any injury.

Do you think injuries to Ismail Mohammed and Karim Boudiaf will adversely affect the team?

Of course, they’re very important players. We’ll miss Ismail for long, but Karim will hopefully start playing soon. However, we’ve other players to make up for that and new recruit Edmilson has already done well. The good thing is that we’ve many Qatari players coming really good. It’ll do good for Qatar football especially since the country is gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup.

Do you expect to become the best player this season as well?

I never think about that. It’s like an invaluable gift a player gets at the end of the season. I always play for my team.