Ahmed “Dada” Mubarak has apologised to the UAE Football Association, his teammates and the fans for walking out of the national team. The Al Jazira winger left the training camp for the upcoming three games against Germany, South Korea and Iran without permission and could face a severe penalty from the UAE FA, according to a report today in The National.
Al Ahli’s Ali Abbas and Jazira’s Subait Khater are serving a one-year ban for a similar offence before the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Iran in November.Dada left because of the preparations he has to make for his wedding, and he insists he had spoken to the team management.
“If not for my current situation, I would never think of leaving the national team,” he said. “It an honour to play for your national team, and I mean it. It is not just a slogan.But unfortunately, circumstances have forced me to withdraw this time. My marriage is scheduled for June 16 and the preparations have not even started yet.”
Dada hopes the UAE FA will consider his circumstances and be lenient in their judgement.
He added: “I was under a lot of stress and I would not have been honest with myself or the team if I had concealed my situation and then performed poorly.”
