Al Gharafa head coach Pedro Caixina struck a confident focused tone when QSL online caught up with the Portuguese coach at the clubs training ground.

This will be Caixina’s first preseason with the Cheetahs, and in our wide ranging interview we covered the clubs preseason training, new signings and Gharafa’s aims ahead of the new QSL season.

Caixinia will have had 10 weeks with his squad once the QSL season has started and the former Santos Laguna coach was eager to look at the period as a whole, not just Gharafa’s training camp.

“Our camp in Portugal was good, but we need to look at the training as a whole as the squad started on the 10^th of July all the way up to the 15^th of September when the league starts. So we have tried to split preseason into two parts.”

Ever since Caixina has arrived at Al Gharafa, a noticeable change in style and pace of football has occurred. He revived the fortunes of the Cheetahs, eventually leading them to a ninth placed finish and the Quarter Finals of the Emir cup. So during preseason Caxina was eager to impart his style and footballing principles onto the squad.



“In Portugal, we focused on the look at the principles of our football at Gharafa.  We pushed this against teams perhaps with a different style, tempo and better fitness which will show us how the players reacted in these situations.”

Whilst now the club is in the second phase of preseason, in which they can put those principles into practice against local sides. “We have organized the second phase to deal with the reality of the weather we have in Qatar, and going into this phase looking to test our self against sides from the region. That is why we have matches against Al Markiya, Al Ahli of Saudi and Al Arabi.”

Gharafa have been relatively quiet in the summer transfer window, with the only signing of note being South Korean international midfielder Han Kook-young from Qatar Sports Club. However Caixina believes the 26 year old can make a real impact for his new side.

“Han is a real box to box midfielder he is constantly involved with the game and gives us plenty of pace moving forward and defending. We are much more balanced in the heart of the midfield now and Han will help us inforce the patterns of play that we want here at Gharafa.”



Talk turned to rival sides in the QSL, however Caixina was again eager to stress that his focus is purely on his side. “Personally, I am not worried about the other teams in the QSL, we scout them on a weekly basis and we will focus on them when they come up in the league.”

Caixina ended our conversation stressing on his aim to return Gharafa back to the top table of Qatari football.  “Our target is the top four places and to be champions. Al Gharafa last won the league nearly five years ago and as a coach we need to return the club to that position. That said, the league season is long and we just need to focus week by week and ensure we play the right way to get the results Gharafa needs.

Now with a full preseason of football under his belt, and a hardworking squad suited to his footballing principles expect Al Gharafa to be a genuine force in the QSL this term under coach Caixina.