Qatar are playing as hosts and the reigning champions of the Asian Cup, but the recent sacking of their head coach Carlos Keros has raised questions about their ability to defend their title. Kairosh took over after their disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup, and they became the worst hosts in history. However, he was abruptly replaced by Titin Márquez in December, just a month away from the Asian Cup.
The decision to sack Kairosh has baffled many, as he has already begun an update on the team's squad. The former national team players have criticised the timing of the change, saying it will be difficult for any coach to make a major change in the space of a month. Márquez has a long-standing relationship with Qatari football, beating Cambodia in his first game in charge of the team.
Despite all this turmoil, the players seemed to welcome his appointment and stressed that expectations for the team were not as high as in the last World Cup. They believe they can easily advance from the group stage and even reach the semi-finals. However, the former players warned that Japan, who lost to Qatar in the 2019 final, will be looking for revenge and pose a major challenge as the strongest team in this tournament.