The Last Champion with Saudi Arabia: I Was Surprised That the "Green" Is Still Fasting for Titles

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Dutch coach Gerard van der Lem, the last coach to lead the Saudi national team to win the Gulf Cup, expressed his surprise at the "Green" being away from the championship podium for more than two decades, recalling his memories with the generation he led to the title, and confirming that leaving his players made him feel as if he had "left his children behind."

Van der Lem is considered the last coach to win the Gulf Cup with Saudi Arabia, having led the team to the title of "Gulf 16" in Kuwait in 2003, before the "Green" distanced itself from winning championships since then.

In exclusive statements to "Al Arabiya.net", when asked what goes through his mind as he watches Saudi Arabia one match away from regaining the title: It took them a long time, and that surprises me.

The Dutch coach recalled the memories of the match against the UAE in the edition in which the Saudi national team was crowned, a match that ended with the "Green" winning two goals to none, saying: I still remember that we took the match very seriously, and the UAE coach at the time was Englishman Roy Hodgson. Every match in which you perform well has an impact on the next match, and the team carries that feeling with it, which is why we prepared the team well.

Van der Liem was known during that tournament for his different approach in dealing with his players, as he allowed them to go out to the East Market in Kuwait before matches. The Dutch coach confirmed to "Al Arabiya.net" that he did this to relieve the pressure on the players and help them distance themselves from the tense atmosphere surrounding the matches.

Van der Liem spoke emotionally about the generation that gave him the opportunity during his experience with Saudi Arabia, which included names like Saud Kariri, Yasser Al-Qahtani, and Hamad Al-Montashari. He said: I loved that my players were good players and also good people. When I left, my heart cried, and I felt as if I had left my children behind.

He added: Yasser had wonderful abilities, and the press was very negative towards him, but I didn't care about that. I saw the potential he had, and he spoke English, and he taught me a lot about life in Saudi Arabia.

The Dutch coach continued: Al-Montashari was a modern player with great potential, while Saud Kariri played in a style similar to Franz Beckenbauer.

Van der Liem had warned during his time in Saudi Arabia, over two decades ago, about the impact of many foreign strikers on the opportunities for local players. In light of the significant boom currently witnessed in the Saudi league and the presence of many global stars, the Dutch coach confirmed his continued belief in the existence of Saudi talents that need more work to be discovered.

He concluded by saying: I still say that there are much greater potentials in Saudi Arabia, but they need to be discovered, and there must be a good interest in developing young players.