IT IS OFFICIAL. Afonso Alves will stay as Al Rayyan’s spearhead.

 

The Brazilian striker, who emerged as the fans’ favourite in a short time, has recovered from a cruciate ligament surgery on his left knee in time for their Qatar Stars League opener and is fine-tuning himself at the moment.

 

The 30-year-old was out of action from last December due to the injury, but is now raring to go.

 

“I can’t wait for the League to begin. I’m making full use of training, especially to improve my physique. I’m fully focused on it. Offers may’ve come to me during the transfer period, but I never bothered to listen to them and left them all to my agent. While recuperating from surgery, I remained in touch with coach Paulo (Autuori) and the club management, and kept them updated on my progress. And here I’m,” Afonso, who was part of the Brazilian squad which won the 2007 Copa America in Venezuela, told dohastadiumplusqatar.com.

 

Rayyan are one of the few teams not to have tampered too much with last season’s team. They have retained all foreign players and Afonso said it would help them go for the kill right from the start.

 

“It’s always better to have the same set of players, as long as they’re good. We also possess a lot of youngsters in our ranks and have a strong chance of winning more titles this season,” said the player, who scored the all-important goal against Umm Salal in the ’10 Emir’s Cup final.

 

Asked about Rayyan’s inconsistency, which was a big letdown early last season, Afonso said it was part of football.

 

“The game may look simple from outside, but it’s really complex and so many factors affect a day’s performance. No team can play at the same level throughout the season, even though that’s what all strive to do. Rayyan players must stay focused and look to deliver strong performances consistently. We look in good shape at the moment to do that.

 

“Our main worry is that more than a dozen players will be switching club assignments with national-team duties. It might affect our plans a bit. Young players must grab the chances they get to keep us in the hunt. They’ve done it quite often in the past and we’re confident,” said the former Middlesbrough player. -- Doha Stadium Plus