FOOTBALL v HOSPITALS?

It isn't easy living in Syria. It certainly isn't easy being a footballer, what ever your "leanings". Six years of internal war has taken its toll.

Many footballers have "joined" the revolution. Others who don't support ther movement may end up in prison. Four young players were beheaded in July 2016 for "spying". Another legendary international player, Jehad Kasseb, was interned for "rioting" and tortured to death in October 2016. Some have left the country and some have refused to play for the national team. Firas Al-Khatib has gone to China. Tareq Hindain plays on to show "allegiance to the flag".

At home, the Syrian football season was called off in 2010-11 and the league "declined". A part time domestic league was reformed with some of the top clubs mainge alterations to their usual arrangements. For example, Al-Ittihad from Aleppo and one of the country's most successful clubs, fielded a 3rd string side. A-Karamah now "play away". Their traditional stadia are used by the militia sometimes as detention centres and are neglected, with brown pitches and damaged infrastructure. FIFA investment may not be used for correct purposes!

Clubs from Damascus have more stability and some games are played in the coastal, regime held city of Latakia. Aleppo is less fortunate having not seen club football since 2012. This week Al-Ittihad played and beat rivals Al-Hurriya 2-1 in the city held by the regime in the west and the rebels in the east.

Homs Football Club reached the 2006 Asian Champions League Final, the national side "Qasioun Eagles" were successful in the 2011 Asian Cup qualifying.
Ironically after much huffing and puffing, the national team was banned for the 2014 World Cup for fielding an illegal player.

The Syrian "Eagles" are however in quite good shape, playing qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia. There's a political coming together and a plan. Friendly international matches have to be played "away", sometimes in nearby nations such as Oman, where there are friendly, neutral grounds.

The first qualifying round included Afghanistan, Singapore, Cambodia and Japan. Syria came second, behind Japan who beat them 3-0 and 5-0.

In qualifying round 2, they have lost to Uzbekistan 0-1 away, drawn with South Korea at "home" 0-0, beaten China away 1-0, and lost to Qatar 0-1 away, drawn with Iraq 0-0 at "home" and they have Uzbekistan again at home in March.

At present Syria is ranked 96th in FIFA.

A recently proposed football match between the Regime and the Civilians and Rebels was suggested over social media but viewed with suspicion as a publicity stunt. Football v Hospitals.