Sidka tries to get Iraq in shape for Asian Cup defence

The family is concerned and the football fans surprised about the new engagement of German Wolfgang Sidka as Iraq national team coach.The security situation in the country remains tense, but the 56-year-old Sidka is playing down the threat as he tries to get a team in shape for the daunting task of defending the Asian Cup title in January 2011."I am staying in the Kurdish area in the north of the country. It is safe here in Arbil where (the ruling body) FIFA also allows us to host our international matches. I am not afraid," he told German Press Agency dpa in a telephone interview.

Sidka took the Iraq hotseat in early August through contacts of an Iraqi he met during a past stint as Bahrain coach.Several coaches reportedly dismissed the job which has seen six trainers in four years in the war-torn country, but Sidka was interested in the challenge."I asked a friend at the (German) Foreign Ministry and a journalist who has been living in Iraq for nine years. Then I flew there to get a first-hand view," he said. Sidka, who has also coached clubs in Qatar, is currently selecting a squad for the September 24-October 3 West Asian Football Federation Championship in Ammann with his two Iraqi assistant coaches.He will not be able to have the seven foreign-based professionals such as Yunis Mahmud, who scored the famous winner over Saudi Arabia in the 2007 Asian Cup. The only experienced player is Nashat Akram, who is without a club after winning the Dutch title in the past season with Twente."I have looked at around 50 players. The boys are talented and want to achieve something," said Sidka.

Iraq has not played a competitive match in 10 months due to FIFA sanctions over government interference into football affairs in the country. Their last big event was the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa where they drew 0-0 with the hosts and New Zealand and were beaten only 1-0 by European champions Spain.The Gulf Cup in Yemen set for November 22-December 4 will be the final test ahead of the Asian Cup in Qatar January 7-29, 2011.

Iraq may be the title holders but surviving the first round alone from Group D over Iran, the United Arab Emirates and North Korea will likely be a success next year. "We have a difficult group. And then there are also the World Cup teams of Japan, South Korea and Australia. It will be very difficult," Sidka told dpa.However, Sidka believes that a missed title defence will not stop the football frenzy in the country. "The people are totally football-crazy. Football is the number one (sport) here," said Sidka, who like others in the past points out that the sport knows no ethnical barriers. "Football brings the ethnic groups together. I don't even know who belongs to which group. And that is not an issue within the team," he said.