The time for Bassel Jradi, finally
Getting the best out of Bassel Jradi has proven to be somewhat of an enigma for recent managers of the National Team. Bassel Jradi has the potential to be one of the best players in Asia and there is obviously a great will to find him a role in the team that can see him thrive but so far these attempts have been to no avail. Of course this is partly due to the fact that his international career has been very interrupted but even when he plays there is a sense that we are not seeing the best from him.
And now, with Jradi being 27 years old and having become a key player at Hajduk Split in Croatia, it is time for us to see the best version of Jradi and tweak the system to suit him at the very least if not build the whole team around him. In his short international career, Jradi has played on both wings, as the man behind the striker and as the lone striker himself and while we have seen glimpses of his skill, it’s still only the shadow of the player he can be.
At Hajduk Split, he is playing in a deeper role which sees him get on the ball more often and be more involved in the build-up play. However, I personally believe he would be best playing in the number 10 role behind the striker as part of a fluid system where he can combine and rotate with the likes of Maatouk, Haidar and Ataya. We will have to see where Jamal Taha sees his best position being and that would likely depend on which system he favours but what is certain is that if Jradi is to ever reach his top level on the international stage, now is the time to start as he approaches the peak of his career.
