Can Bahrain Finally Reach the World Cup?

Another World Cup qualifying campaign, another play-off game. The players and fans have been there, and been disappointed one to many times. Going so close but never actually making it, has been the story for Bahrain for the past few years. 

Making the headlines by getting to the final of the 2002 Arab Cup, only to lose against Saudi Arabia. Failing to win the Gulf Cup since the first ever Gulf Cup was held in Bahrain in 1970, yet finishing second four times. Being within minutes of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, only to lose 1-0 at home against Trinidad & Tobago.

The question now is, can Bahrain finally make it?

Let's take a look at the current situation of Bahraini Football as far as the national team goes, as well as the manager, and the Football Association.

Starting off with some of Bahrain's top players. Obviously the current football league in Bahrain is not in the best of shape, as a professional football league it is non-existent. I can sit here listing all the negative consequences of lacking a professional football league, but the biggest is that it makes your best players seek to play in a professional league that actually pays.

This is what has led to most of Bahrain's best players to play their football outside the island. Mostly playing in Qatar and Kuwait. With a few players even playing in Europe.

Bahrain's talismanic captain Mohamed Ahmed Salmeen however, is one of the few national team starters to be playing back home with league champions Al Muharraq Club. Salmeen is currently one of Bahrain's most experienced players, which has resulted in him obtaining the captains armband, as he also did during the past World Cup qualifiers.

The 28-year-old has been playing for the national team ever since 2000. As he was part of a group of young Bahraini players that shot to fame during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. Those young players are currently regarded as some of the most important members of the national squad. Players such as Mohamed Salmeen, Salman Isa, Abdulla Al Marzooqi, and Mohamed Hussain have taken part in three qualification campaigns including this one, and are starting to realize that this could be their last shot at a place in the World Cup.

The players are first-team regulars. Mohamed Salmeen pulls the strings in the center of midfield, Salman Isa menaces down the wings, while Al Marzooqi along with Mohamed Hussain try to keep the stability in defence. Other than the fantastic four of Salmeen, Isa, Al Marzooqi, and Hussain, there have been other Bahraini talents that have emerged along the years.

One of them is A'ala Hubail. Hubail was the joint top scorer at the 2004 Asian Cup in China and is currently Bahrain's top scorer in the qualifiers with three goals. He has played in two Asian Cups as well as two World Cup qualifying campaigns, and the former Al Ahli striker, who has played in Kuwait and Qatar for a number of clubs as well, has a point to prove for the national team.

His brother Mohamed Hubail, who is winger, scored Bahrain's first goal at the Asian Cup in 2004, and will also look to supply his brother with a few crosses that will help his team to South Africa as well.

Two other players that Bahrain will highly rely on are Sayed Mohamed Adnan and Mahmood Abdulrahman, or as he is more commonly known by Bahraini fans as "Ringo" (don't ask why). Sayed Adnan is a tall and powerful central defender that has been very consistent  over the past few years both for the national team and his Qatari club Al Khor.

Apart from preventing goals, the defender has also scored his fair share of goals, as he finished last season as the second highest scorer for Al Khor.

Moving on to another player that scores plenty of important goals, Mahmood Abdulrahman—"Ringo". If there is one player Bahrain should thank for getting to this qualifying play-off against Saudi, its this guy.

Mahmood has scored two amazing free-kicks in two back-to-back home and away 1-0 wins against Uzbekhistan (the first coming in injury time) that guaranteed Bahrain third place and the qualifying play-off. This player is a young attacking midfielder, that has some amazing skills, speed, and an absolutely stunning left-foot. 

Kuwait's Al-Qadisya player will be waiting for his chance to continue to shine on the world stage.

Now moving on to the Bahraini's playing in Europe. Jaycee John, Abdulla Baba Fatadi, and last but not least Abdulla Ismail Omar. All three are naturalised Bahraini citizens with African roots. Jaycee John and Abdulla Fatadi are originally Nigerians, while Abdulla Omar was born in Chad.

John is a striker that currently plays for Belgium's R.E. Mouscron. While Abdulla Omar and Abdulla Fatadi who are both midfield players play in the Swiss League with Neuchatel Xamax. John and Fatadi were discovered while playing for Bahrain's Al Ahli Club of Manama.

While Abdulla Omar was actually a former beach soccer player for the Bahrain national team that was snapped up by Bahraini giants Al Muharraq Club.

Bahrain's current manager, Milan Macala, is arguably the best foreign manager to have managed in the Gulf region. The Czech tactitian, who is 66 years of age, has managed the national teams of neighboors Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. He has also achieved great success with some of these teams, most notably by winning the Gulf Cup of nations in 1996 and 1998.

He will be hoping to guide Bahrain to the 2010 World Cup Finals, and has a very good knowledge of Gulf football including Bahrain's play-off opponents Saudi Arabia, that may certainly come in handy. The Bahrain FA, which is headed by influential President Shaikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who narrowly lost out to AFC President Mohammed Bin Hammam in the race for a spot on the FIFA executive committee, is fully supportive of the national team and its coach.

Now all what is left is for the games to begin. The two crucial dates are the 5th of September and the 9th of September. Bahrain will take on Saudi Arabia first at home, then away—with the winner facing New Zealand.

Can the tiny Gulf nation that has never won a piece of silverware make it to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa?

Only time will tell...