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LONDON: Bahrain giants Muharraq are looking forward to getting started after being confirmed as one of two overseas representatives clubs to be invited to compete in the 2019-20 Saudi Pro League season.
The ��������Ƶ Football Federation (SAFF) announced last week that it was talking to representatives of Bahrain and Kuwait in order to expand the league from 16 to 18 teams.
Muharraq will be the team from Bahrain while discussions with Kuwait are still ongoing, though Al-Qadsia, the country’s most successful team, are regarded as the likeliest club to join Muharraq.
“Words can’t describe the feeling of the Muharraq fans after being selected as the first team to represent Bahrain in the Saudi league,” Muharraq General Manager Ibrahim Al-Issa said.
“We will implement the instructions required of us strictly, and we will represent Bahrain to the best of our ability.  We are honored to play in the Saudi league.”
Al-Issa has no doubt that the Reds — expected to run two teams, one to play at home and the other over the border — are deserving of a place in the league of its bigger neighbor.
“We have the history to warrant this,” added Al-Issa in reference to a trophy cabinet that includes 34 league titles and 32 King’s Cups.
With such an impressive domestic record, it is perhaps no surprise that the team sees the chance to compete in ��������Ƶ as one that will help it to reach the next level.
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, chairman of Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, claimed that the example of Welsh clubs, such as Cardiff City and Swansea City, in the English Premier League helping the development of football in Wales could be an inspiration for the country.
“Muharraq will participate in the Saudi league because of the strength that the league there has and that it is a bigger competition which can only be a benefit,” said Sheikh Nasser, who added that support would be provided to the club to enable it to compete in ��������Ƶ, with a finish in the top half of the standings being the initial objective.
“The move will contribute significantly to the development of football in Bahrain.”
The Kuwait Football Association declined to comment when contacted by Arab News until the issue has been settled, but Adel Ezzat, who resigned from his post as head of SAFF in August in order to run for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in next April’s election, has hailed the development as a positive one for all countries  involved.
“It is not an issue for the AFC as it has allowed clubs to play in league competitions outside their own home countries before,” Ezzat, who is the president of the newly-formed South West Asia Football Federation, said. “In Singapore, a Japanese team, Albirex Niigata, has been playing there. The New Zealand team Wellington is in Australia’s A-League,” added the official.
“There would be no negative effects from the participation of teams from the region in the Saudi league.”
Not all have greeted the prospect of expansion with excitement and positivity. Reaction on social media in Bahrain and Kuwait has been mixed. Some of the doubts expressed were echoed by Omani veteran and former Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli star Amad Al-Hosni who questioned whether the proposal would be good for football in the Middle East.
“This is happening for the first time in the region,” Al-Hosni said. “I do not know what the 
consequences of this will be and I can’t even imagine the repercussions of all this.
“I see this as a double-edged sword.”