AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023: Groups A, B & C Head Coaches

Kuala Lumpur, December 29 (QNA) - The Asian Football Confederation highlighted the team coaches of the first, second and third groups participating in the 2023 Asian Cup Qatar, scheduled to be held from January 12 to February 10, 2024.
The AFC said in a report today on its official website that some coaches are making their first appearance at the continental tournament in a new challenge against their experienced counterparts in Asian tournaments, including four who were at the helm of teams that participated in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The confederation began its report with the Spanish Bartolome Marquez Lopez, who was selected to coach the national team, the champion, recently, after leaving a mark with the squad of Al Wakrah in the Qatar Stars League, following the departure of the Portuguese Carlos Queiroz.
Lopez, 61, will lead the Qatari team in Group A, which also includes Lebanon, China and Kazakhstan. The team will take on Lebanon in the opening match of the tournament against the Montenegrin Miodrag Radulovic, 56, the new coach of Lebanon, who was recently appointed as the successor to Croatian coach Nikola Jurevic.
Radulovic was in charge of the team during the last edition of the tournament in 2019 in the UAE.
On the other hand, China PR will be led by Serbias Aleksandar Jankovic, who made the step up to the senior team in 2022 after initially working with the country’s youth teams. He previously coached Red Star Belgrade in his native Serbia as well as Belgian clubs Mechelen and Standard Liege.
Petar Segrt adds to the Eastern European flavour in Group A as he helms Tajikistan’s challenge for a place in the knockout rounds, the Croatian continuing his career in Asia after stints with Afghanistan and the Maldives as well as in club football in Indonesia.
As for Group B, Graham Arnold returns to the AFC Asian Cup for a third crack at the title after leading Australia to the quarter-finals in both 2007 and 2019.
The former Sydney FC head coach was retained by Football Australia having steered the Socceroos to the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and he will be in typically confident mood ahead of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023.
Former Sampdoria defender Srecko Katanec will be in charge of Uzbekistan at the AFC Asian Cup for the first time as he continues his career in the continent having worked in the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, who he led to the last 16 of the 2019 Finals.
Hector Cuper was in charge of Uzbekistan at the last AFC Asian Cup and the vastly experienced Argentinian, who previously coached in La Liga with Valencia and also led Egypt, returns in Qatar at the helm of Syria having been appointed in February.
The coaching line-up in Group B is rounded out by Igor Stimac, who brings India to the Finals after stints with his native Croatia as well as Iranian club side Sepahan and Al Shahania in Qatar.
In Group C, Amir Ghalenoei returned to take charge of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the second time in the aftermath of the country’s involvement in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the former Esteghlal coach will be eager to improve on his previous performance at the tournament.
Ghalenoei was in charge of Team Melli in 2007 when the Iranians crashed out in the quarter-finals in a penalty shoot-out against Korea Republic.
Paulo Bento also renews his acquaintance with the AFC Asian Cup, this time with the United Arab Emirates after leading Korea Republic to the last eight in 2019.
The Portuguese took over in the UAE in July having parted company with the Koreans, who he steered to the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Hong Kong, China will be led by Jorn Andersen with the Norwegian making his first appearance on the touchline at the AFC Asian Cup. He successfully guided DPR Korea through the preliminaries for the 2019 Finals but resigned after qualification was assured.
Tunisia’s Makram Daboub completes the line-up in Group C with the former goalkeeper due to take charge of Palestine at the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since his appointment to the post back in 2021. (QNA)