Al Wasl boss Gabriel Calderon has threatened to make sweeping summer changes to ship out the shirkers threatening their AFC Champions League ambitions.
The Cheetahs are currently experiencing a frustrating four-match winless streak in the Arabian Gulf League. They remain only one point off the third-and-final qualifying position, but significant ground has been lost.
For Calderon, 53, he believed an amateur attitude from certain sections of his squad was critically hampering the bid to return to the continent’s premier club competition for the first time in eight years.
He said: “I continue working and I wait for next season with the committee to analyse everything to prepare a stronger team.
“The biggest problem for me honestly is to change the mentality. Because we have too many players happy to win two or three matches and not continue the same way.
“I’m working every day, every day the situation I’m fighting for many players who give the minimum, don’t like training.
“To stay in the top four, you need more than 12 players with a fantastic mentality. If not you will not arrive there – it is impossible.”
Brazilian forward Fabio De Lima struck his 18th top-flight goal this term during Saturday’s drab 1-1 draw with third-bottom Sharjah. The 22-year-old is carrying the Cheetahs’ attacking threat, with the January dumping of seven-goal target man Edgar Bruno for underwhelming playmaker Rogerinho not working out.
“One team cannot wait all the time for one player to score a goal,” Calderon bemoaned. “I need more.
“It’s not possible for only Fabio to score a goal. I had Edgar who continues to be second top scorer, seven goals.
“This is difficult because if a team wants to win they need more than one player, someone with different qualities to score more goals.”
Wasl’s Asian hopes could rest on Friday’s key clash at fifth-placed Al Wahda.