Oman football to get a makeover - The face of Oman football is changing, thanks to the Sultanate’s maiden Gulf Cup victory.

Times of Oman - 30/3/2009

In a few months from now, the local league tournaments will become more professional, imbibing the flavours of the English Premier League.

“Our local league tournaments will have to change their attitude and become more professional. We are working on how we could popularise the Oman league matches,” said Sayyid Khalid Al Busaidi, chairman of Oman Football Association (OFA), on the sidelines of a press conference organised by Muriya Tourism Development at Al Bustan Palace Hotel yesterday.

Al Busaidi also disclosed that Dave Richards, the chairman of English Premier League, would visit Oman in April to help the OFA set up a game-plan to move in the EPL direction.

"David Richards is paying a visit in April and his prime objective is to help the OFA explore the various possibilities to move faster,” the OFA chief told reporters here.

The English Premier League is extremely popular, even in the Sultanate, because it attracts top talent and famous players from different countries play for English clubs. If everything goes well, it shouldn’t then be a surprise in the long run to see Oman’s Hassan Rabea or Imad Al Hosni playing alongside David Beckham for an Oman club.

Although Al Busaidi did not elaborate on what shape the format is going to take or whether Oman league would have any similarities with the English Premier League, he was emphatic on the need for the local league to improve. “It’s obvious that we have to help our local league to improve and that there is a need for better infrastructure as well. An improved local league would certainly boost our national team to succeed further and become a driving force.”

The EPL is a franchise-model with corporates and sponsors being allowed to buy and run teams. Currently, Oman’s star goalkeeper, Ali Al Habsi, is the only player from the Sultanate in the English league, playing for Bolton Wanderers.

On why more Omani players had not been making it to the European leagues, Al Busaidi said many franchises were in touch with the OFA but there were certain rules and regulations that had to be followed in this regard.

“We have to be in the first 70 in the Fifa ranking list; it is difficult, but we are now ranked 81 and I am sure we will soon make it to that elite list. There are many other regulations too that have to be adhered to. I know it is a tremendous task, but Oman is a football nation — we know that. It’s just a matter of time, and patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day! Within the next few years you will certainly see many of our players in the English Premier Leagues.”