Al Khor vs Umm Salal kicks off 20:15 this Friday at the Al Khor stadium.
 
Al Khor Head Coach Jean Fernandez
“We have had a good preparation. We had three weeks in Holland. We are satisfied with our team's performance until now. Our target is to start the official competition with a good result.”
 
“The first game is very important in the league. We have to win the first game. All teams want to start with a win in order to continue the momentum. We have an added ambition to win because we are playing in our home stadium.”
 
“I know that Umm Salal is a good team in Qatar and we have lots of respect for them. They have players of good quality and good coaches. Last year, they came to Khor and won. So we will play them with respect.” 
 
“I want the team to start the league motivated. I am also excited because this is my first official game in Qatar. The most important thing is for the team to win this game. A winning start is very important for me and the team. We have a very good atmosphere in the team. The Al Khor administration has been very supportive. There is no additional pressure on me or my team. So we are working in a positive environment. The only pressure that I have is one which I have brought upon myself in wanting to win this first game.”
  
“Of course when you change the coach, you change the strategy and the philosophy. The players have been working very hard to adapt to the new philosophy, but we have to understand that it will take time to pass these new ideas onto the players.”
 
“All players are fit and ready to play.”
 
 


Umm Salal Head Coach Uygun Bülent
“I am happy to see you guys again in this first press conference. We are all trying to give a good image of the QSL and you the media are also trying to do the same.”
 
“Talking about my team, we had a lot of players that left this season. But we have brought in some new players and we hope to have a good season. I thank all the players that helped us last season. For the new players, I hope that they will give us additional power to do well this season. This season will be difficult. Apart from the teams that finished in the top 4 last season, this time think Gharafa and Rayyan will also enter the competition for the top spots. This season will be stronger and more exciting than last season.”
 
“The new players coming will need time to gel. But day by day, we are improving in training. Our ambition is to have this fighting spirit in the players and become a team that plays every game to win. And also to prepare young players for the national team.”
 
“The Khor game will be very difficult. They have a new coach and he has lots of experience. last season we played against them and won but those were different circumstances. This game we will try to focus and try to get three points.”
 
“Nine players left our squad over the summer. The most important thing in football is for a team to have stability. A team that retains most of its players for 2-3 seasons plays different compared with teams that change their players frequently. So we will need time for our players to gel. We will try to manage them well and get the best out of them. Just like in life, we can only give our maximum, respect our job and our targets and then wait for success. I think all players that give their maximum deserve to play at Umm Salal.”