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Souaid lifts lid on nightmare trip for Cedars

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  • Souaid lifts lid on nightmare trip for Cedars

    Souaid lifts lid on nightmare trip for Cedars
    July 27, 2013 12:19 AM
    By Dany Abboud
    The Daily Star


    BEIRUT: “Nothing compares to the feelings we felt when we heard about FIBA’s decision,” national team player Nadim Souaid told The Daily Star after the Cedars’ “nightmare trip” to the Far East this month. For some, playing at the Asian Championship wouldn’t be such a big deal, but for 27-year-old shooting guard Souaid it meant the world, after having been called up to the senior squad for the first time in 2012.

    Souaid grew up watching the likes of Fadi al-Khatib, Elie Mchantaf and Rony Fahed create history for Lebanon, when they spearheaded the national team’s surge to three successive World Championships. That period included some indelible moments: a triumph against European bronze medalists France and Venezuela in 2006, and an epic victory over Canada in 2010.

    “I used to watch some of those games on TV along with my friends. I will never forget some of those unforgettable shots made by [Elie] Mchantaf in the dying moments. I used to tell my friends that I will be there some day,” said Souaid.

    Souaid, who has long been awaiting a chance to represent the national team, had a slow debut season with defending champions Champville, and head coach Ghassan Sarkis kept the player out of the national squad during the WABA Championship in February. The omission compelled Souaid to pick up his form in the second part of the season with the summer’s big showpiece event beckoning.

    “I had a slow debut season with Champville because I needed some time to adjust to my teammates, especially that this is a title contender, but I felt that my move to Champville [a championship team] would improve my chances of being selected for the national team. But when the coach didn’t call me up [for WABA qualifier] I felt disappointed,” he explained. “But I wouldn’t give up. I had worked so hard to regain my form and I think I played quite well in the second part of the season.

    “Even when the league was halted in the semifinals, I tried to [think about the] positives, as the national team would have more time to prepare [for the Asian Championship] because we were already late, and fortunately I was called up in the end.”

    Souaid couldn’t travel with the national team to Taipei for the Jones Cup, as he had been pursuing another dream to become a lawyer.

    “They [national team staff] were telling me to follow the team to Manila [where the FIBA Asia Championship was being held] and not Taipei, but I was so excited and insisted on joining the team [for the Jones Cup] even if I had to fly alone.

    “When I reached Taipei, the situation was very murky, we were hearing very different news. One day we would sleep thinking it was over, then we would wake up with renewed hope. But honestly I never thought that we would not participate,” he explained.

    “The atmosphere really had a very bad impact on team morale, which explains the poor results in the last few games of the tournament.”

    On the morning of July 13, the national team was packing to return home after the conflicted parties in Lebanon failed to reach an agreement as requested by FIBA in order to lift the ban. But while some of the national team players, including Souaid, were sitting in their rooms, head coach Ghassan Sarkis entered, his phone tight to his ear, and signaled that Lebanon would fly to Manila – the dream to reach the World Cup was still alive.

    “I can’t describe the happiness inside the room after the coach revealed the news. We started to jump right and left, and even wrestled each other for fun,” Souaid laughed. “We believed again that the dream was back.”

    The team switched their flights to Manila instead of Beirut, although conflicting news was still coming their way.

    “We kept on hearing different version of stories. But when we were on the plane to Manila, I thought personally that it was over and we were going to play. But the news from Lebanon was negative once we arrived, and despite all the difficulties we started to practice twice per day,” Souaid said.

    “First, we were told via Whatsapp that Lebanon were banned for four years. We were shocked. The silence pervaded among us. It was like a dream and so suddenly, it was gone. We felt immense anger and sadness at the same time.

    “Even on our way back I was trying to convince myself that we will back, even one week before the tournament, but my teammates were telling me to forget it. They were right in the end. It was really over.”

    Fortunately for Souaid, the ban isn’t necessarily for four years, provided that Lebanon meet the instructions stipulated by FIBA.

    “I urge the federation, the clubs and everyone to work on a solution now and not later. We have lost a golden chance to qualify again with a well-balanced squad of youth and experience, and we shouldn’t waste more time. I just hope we will start working soon on qualifying for the World Championships, even if the next one is four years away,” Souaid said.



    Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Sports/B...#ixzz2aEr1bLGz
    (The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)
    Proud to be Lebanese
    www.arabasket.com

  • #2
    I feel very sad over this. I hope you guys will overcome !
    =========================================
    Anyone who wants to replace a coach because his dwarf team keeps losing against bigger teams is wishing for a miracle and should get a magician. A more practical solution is to get reinforcements unless one is content to wait a few more years in the hope that the dwarf players will grow wings and fly over their defenders. PBA reinforcements will not guarantee a championship, but it will guarantee close losses which is enough to make me happy.

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