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Last week, we took a look at uncapped Goalkeeper and Defenders plying their trade abroad who could provide a boost to the national team ahead of the 2023 Asian Cup.
Palestine could also use a boost in midfield. In Makram Dabboub’s 4-3-3 system only the hierarchy at the #6 position is clear. Mohammed Rashid will start, Mohammed Darweesh is the backup and capable of stepping in, Odai Kharoub is a decent third choice.
What Palestine lacks is a player that can replace what Nazmi Albadawi brought to this team. The hope is that former Croatia youth international can make that position his own, allowing the current incumbent- Mahmoud Abu Warda- to be used in his more natural position as a right winger.
The #8 position is currently occupied by Mohammed Yamin who has improved steadily during this cycle and is now adding goals to his game. The Shabab Al-Khaleel midfielder has scored twice and assisted three goals in eight games under the Dabboub regime.
So who are the Palestinians Abroad that could emerge over the next nine months?
Ataa Jaber (Neftchi Baku, Azeri First Tier, 27)
Ataa Jaber is a name that has started to garner some attention from fans of the national team. The former Sakhnin and Maccabi Haifa midfielder recently completed his first move abroad. That move has bee a success thus far. Ataa Jaber scored in UEFA Conference League qualifying against Rapid Vienna and he has already contributed an assist in the league campaign.
Although listed as a defensive midfielder, Jaber has true box-to-box range and in the context of the national team would probably be used as a #8. His quality really pops off the screen as he has the natural ability to connect defence to attack. Without any depth to speak of at the #8 position Jaber would be a shoo-in for the Asian Cup squad next year and he might even relegate Mohammed Yamin to the bench.
Will he join? Perhaps we should ask if the PFA would call him up. Ataa Jaber made an approach to the PFA to play for Palestine 18 months ago but was rebuffed. So why would the PFA change their minds now? Well for one, Ataa Jaber has left the Israeli league and although Palestine has called up players playing in the Israeli leagues they have always done it discreetly. For example, Ahi Nazareth goalkeeper Mohammed Nahfawi played for the Olympic Team. Reebal Dahamshe played for the U19 team whilst on the books of Hapoel Nof HaGalil and a couple of months later played for the senior team, in an obscure tournament held in Bangladesh outside of the FIFA Friendly Window.
Keep in mind that even Rami Hamadi (a Sakhnin player at the time) was mysteriously benched at the 11th hour in Noureddine Ould Ali’s last game as national team manager.
Now that Jaber is playing in Azerbaijan that should allow for his call up. His previous caps for Israel at youth level (where he was so highly regarded he served as captain) should be a moot point. Ali Adawi was called up for the FIFA Arab Cup despite being capped for Israel at youth level.
Feras Abu Akel (FK Qabala, Azeri First Tier, 25)
Abu Akel and Jaber share an agent which coincidentally saw both players leave Ashdod for the Azeri League over the summer. Abu Akel is more defensive minded but don’t take that to mean that he lacks technical quality. Abu Akel has the ability to cover large areas of the pitch, and in a system that gives the fullbacks freedom to bomb forward, a player like Abu Akel would be an absolute asset.
Like Ataa Jaber, Abu Akel has settled into his new club and has played every minute of every game across both the Conference League qualifiers and the League.
Will he join? There are no barriers to Abu Akel joining. He no longer plays in the Israeli League and has never played for Israel- at senior or youth levels- excuses that the PFA has used previously. Why would the Umm Al-Fahm turn down the chance to play for Palestine?
Moustafa Zeidan (Malmo FF, Swedish First Tier, 24)
Moustafa Zeidan has been on Football Palestine’s radar for a long time. The Swedish born midfielder was so highly rated as a youngster that he was snapped up by Aston Villa’s academy as a teenager. Zedian never made his professional debut with the English side and returned to Sweden to restart his career.
It took a while for Zeidan’s quality to become evident. A season at Helsingborg in the Allsvenskan saw him spend a lot of time on the bench- he played only 11 minutes in the league in 2016. The following season, he dropped down to the Superettan and played for Syrianska, Frej, Jonkoppings Sodra, with a brief return to the Allsvenskan with Brommapojkarna in 2018.
Zeidan really started to come into his own last season. Sirius brought him into the fold in 2021 and he took to the Allsvenskan like a fish to water.
Zeidan then moved to Malmo last month and really started to tear it up. He has scored three times and assisted five goals in 10 games across all competitions. In 2022 so far he has four goals and an eye popping nine assists for both Sirius and Malmo.
Will he Join? Highly unlikely, Zeidan got the call to Sweden’s B-side in January during the Allsvenkan off season. His current form means that he will most likely get called into the senior team for matches slated in September (UEFA Nations League) or November (Friendly vs. Mexico). Family history doesn’t help Palestine in their quest to get Zeidan to commit to a nationality switch. His cousin, Imad Khalili was going to play for Palestine in 2014 until he got cold feet before the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. Sources told Football Palestine that that was a result of the PFA forging the player’s signature on a document.
Palestine also missed out on Abdelrahman Khalili who was cap-tied to Sweden in 2015. The Palestinian national football team is light years ahead of were it was back then but it seems highly unlikely that Zeidan ends up playing for Palestine. The PFA should have pursued the player earlier in his career when he was neglected by the Swedish football establishment.
