Wathiq Naji
Encyclopedia
Wathiq Naji (born on 1 July 1940 in Baghdad
, Iraq
), is a former Iraqi national football player
and Technical Manager (Head Coach) for the Iraq national football team
. Wathiq Naji had prepared the Iraq national football team for the FIFA World Cup qualification
in 1985. Hence, he successfully managed to guide the Iraq national football team to the last qualifying round of the 1986 FIFA World Cup
in Mexico
. This came after subsequent and hard fought qualifying rounds
which ended with a notable win over the United Arab Emirates national football team
(The Head Coach of the UAE team was Carlos Alberto Parreira
at that time). Where this is the only time in the Iraq football history that the squad could qualify to the FIFA World Cup
.
(DFB) in Frankfurt
Germany
. In 1967, he awarded a Higher Diploma in Football and Sport Science from the German University of physical culture and sport, which is better known as Deutsche Hochschule für Körperkultur und Sport (DHfK) in Leipzig
, This university is attached later to the University of Leipzig
after the German reunification
on 3 October 1990. In 1961, he completed his undergraduate study and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Baghdad
Iraq.
Naji attended many professional courses such as Cologne
1973, London
1969 and Germany
1983.
in Mecca
, Saudi Arabia
. He and his family left Iraq and repositioned in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia due to the current situation in Iraq after 2003 invasion of Iraq
.
. From 1963 to 1966 he was player in the Iraq national football team.
1973–1974 Iraqi national football team.
1974–1975 Iraqi national football youth team – won the AFC Youth Championship
cup, Kuwait
, 1975.
1979–1980 Iraq national Olympic football team -Qualified to the 1980 Summer Olympics
1982 Salahuddin Club, Champion, Won the Iraq Super League
.
1982 Salahuddin Club, Champion, Won The Rovers Cup of the British football enthusiasts.
1983 Salahuddin Club, Champion, Won the Tournament Arab Clubs cup which was Hosted by Al-Wihdat
club in Jordan
.
1984 Al-Shorta
club, Iraq.
1985 Al Zawraa club, Iraq.
1985 Iraq national football team
-Qualified to the 1986 FIFA World Cup
in Mexico
.
1987–1988 Iraq national youth team -Qualified to the AFC U-17 Championship
and reached the Fourth Place in Finals, Thailand
, 1988.
1989, 1990, 1995, 1996 Al-Wihdat
, Jordan
- Qualified to the Arab Champions League
, Egypt
, Cairo
1996.
1997 Tadamon Sour
, Lebanese Premier League
, Beirut
, Lebanon
.
1998 AL-Nasr Club, Libyan Premier League
, Libya
– Qualified to the Arab Cup Winners' Cup
(Lebanon 1998).
1999/2000 Al Swihli Club
, Libyan Premier League
, Libya
– Qualified to the African Cup Winners' Cup
.
2001 Kuala Lumpur FA
, Malaysian Super League
it was known as Malaysian League (M-League) before 2004, Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia- Qualified to the Malaysia Cup
.
2002 Bahrain (football club)
, Bahraini Premier League
, Manama
, Bahrain
.
2002–2003 Iraq national Olympic football team.
2004 Tadamon Sour
, Lebanese Premier League
, Beirut
, Lebanon
.
2005–2006 Consultant in the Iraqi Football Association (Technical Committee).
2007/2008 Al-Nejmeh Sporting Club, Lebanese Premier League
, Beirut
, Lebanon
.
2009 Sabah FA
, Malaysia Premier League, Malaysia.
Wathiq Naji coached also many football clubs in Iraq such as Al-Naft, Kut, Al-Sinaa and Najaf FC.
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
), is a former Iraqi national football player
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
and Technical Manager (Head Coach) for the Iraq national football team
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
. Wathiq Naji had prepared the Iraq national football team for the FIFA World Cup qualification
FIFA World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is the process that a national association football team goes through to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals. The FIFA World Cup is a global event, so qualification is required to reduce the large field of participants from about 200 to 32.Qualifying tournaments...
in 1985. Hence, he successfully managed to guide the Iraq national football team to the last qualifying round of the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. This came after subsequent and hard fought qualifying rounds
FIFA World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is the process that a national association football team goes through to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals. The FIFA World Cup is a global event, so qualification is required to reduce the large field of participants from about 200 to 32.Qualifying tournaments...
which ended with a notable win over the United Arab Emirates national football team
United Arab Emirates national football team
The United Arab Emirates national football team represents United Arab Emirates in association football and is controlled by the United Arab Emirates Football Association, the governing body for football in United Arab Emirates...
(The Head Coach of the UAE team was Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira is a Brazilian former football manager. He managed Brazil to championships at the 1994 World Cup, the 2004 Copa América, and the 2005 Confederations Cup...
at that time). Where this is the only time in the Iraq football history that the squad could qualify to the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
.
Academic Qualifications
Naji received a Grad A Certificate for professional Football Coaching in 1978 from the German Football AssociationGerman Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
(DFB) in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In 1967, he awarded a Higher Diploma in Football and Sport Science from the German University of physical culture and sport, which is better known as Deutsche Hochschule für Körperkultur und Sport (DHfK) in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, This university is attached later to the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
after the German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
on 3 October 1990. In 1961, he completed his undergraduate study and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
Iraq.
Naji attended many professional courses such as Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
1973, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
1969 and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
1983.
Personal information
Wathik Naji married in 1966 from a high educated Iraqi woman and he has one daughter and two sons, his first baby (girl) was born in 1967, then he got his first son on 1969 followed by the second son in 1975. In 2005 he and his wife Mrs. Asia Abdulah Habbib performed their HajjHajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
in Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. He and his family left Iraq and repositioned in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia due to the current situation in Iraq after 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
Career as a Player
From 1958 to 1967, Naji was a player in the Iraq Super LeagueIraq Super League
Iraqi Premier League is the highest league in the league system of Iraqi football and currently contains the top 20 Iraqi football clubs. It is translated into English as "The Premier League"...
. From 1963 to 1966 he was player in the Iraq national football team.
Career as a Technical Manager
Wathiq Naji was the technical manager of the Iraq national football team for several decades, beginning in the 1970s. As a Technical Manager (Head Coach), he managed to achieve the following honours:1973–1974 Iraqi national football team.
1974–1975 Iraqi national football youth team – won the AFC Youth Championship
AFC Youth Championship
The AFC U-19 Championship, formerly known as AFC Youth Championship, is an annual football competition organised by the sport's Asian governing body, Asian Football Confederation . The competition has been held since 1959...
cup, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, 1975.
1979–1980 Iraq national Olympic football team -Qualified to the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
1982 Salahuddin Club, Champion, Won the Iraq Super League
Iraq Super League
Iraqi Premier League is the highest league in the league system of Iraqi football and currently contains the top 20 Iraqi football clubs. It is translated into English as "The Premier League"...
.
1982 Salahuddin Club, Champion, Won The Rovers Cup of the British football enthusiasts.
1983 Salahuddin Club, Champion, Won the Tournament Arab Clubs cup which was Hosted by Al-Wihdat
Al-Wihdat
Al-Wahdat SC is a sports club founded in 1956 and located in the Amman New Camp . In football, it has a fierce rivalry with long-time local rivals Al-Faisaly Club . The club has won the Jordanian league eleven times and the Jordanian cup seven times...
club in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
.
1984 Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta is an Iraqi football club based in Baghdad. They are widely regarded as Iraq's best team, as they are only one of two Iraqi teams to ever win any competition outside of Iraq -History:Al Shorta have won 14 trophies...
club, Iraq.
1985 Al Zawraa club, Iraq.
1985 Iraq national football team
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
-Qualified to the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
1987–1988 Iraq national youth team -Qualified to the AFC U-17 Championship
AFC U-17 Championship
The AFC U-16 Championship is a football competition, organised by the Asian Football Confederation held once every two years for Asian under-16 teams that also serves as a qualification tournament for the FIFA U-17 World Cup...
and reached the Fourth Place in Finals, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, 1988.
1989, 1990, 1995, 1996 Al-Wihdat
Al-Wihdat
Al-Wahdat SC is a sports club founded in 1956 and located in the Amman New Camp . In football, it has a fierce rivalry with long-time local rivals Al-Faisaly Club . The club has won the Jordanian league eleven times and the Jordanian cup seven times...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
- Qualified to the Arab Champions League
Arab Champions League
The Arab Champions League is a football tournament for clubs in the Arab world. It was inspired by the UEFA Champions League.The Arab Champions League was first known as the Arab Club Champions Cup, and established in 1982. In 2001, it merged with the Arab Cup Winners' Cup to form the new Prince...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
1996.
1997 Tadamon Sour
Tadamon Sour
Tadamon Sour is a Lebanese football team playing at the top level. It is based in Tyre. Their home stadium is Sour Stadium.-Beginning in 1939:...
, Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League is the top division of the Federation Libanaise de Football Association football league competitions. It was founded in 1900 and began in 1934 and their confederation is the AFC...
, Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
1998 AL-Nasr Club, Libyan Premier League
Libyan Premier League
The Libyan Premier League is the highest division of Libyan football championship, organised by Libyan Football Federation. The players that play in this league are mainly professional...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
– Qualified to the Arab Cup Winners' Cup
Arab Cup Winners' Cup
The Arab Cup Winners' Cup was a football competition that started in 1989 and merged with the Arab Club Champions Cup in 2002 to form the Prince Faysal bin Fahad Tournament for Arab Clubs. It was a competition between the winning clubs of national cup competitions in Arab nations.- Finals...
(Lebanon 1998).
1999/2000 Al Swihli Club
Al Swihli
Asswehly is a Libyan football club based in Misrata, Libya.The club is playing in the Libyan Premier League for this season.-History:Asswehly Sports Club was founded on 28 May 1944 as The Workers Club, and then changes the name into:...
, Libyan Premier League
Libyan Premier League
The Libyan Premier League is the highest division of Libyan football championship, organised by Libyan Football Federation. The players that play in this league are mainly professional...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
– Qualified to the African Cup Winners' Cup
African Cup Winners' Cup
The African Cup Winners' Cup was a football competition that started in 1975 and merged with the CAF Cup in 2004 to form the CAF Confederations Cup...
.
2001 Kuala Lumpur FA
Kuala Lumpur FA
The Kuala Lumpur Football Association is a Malaysian professional football association based in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. The association was founded as the Federal Territory Football Association in 1974 and entered Malaysian football competitions in 1979 before being renamed Kuala Lumpur in 1986...
, Malaysian Super League
Malaysian Super League
The Malaysia Super League is a Malaysian professional league for association football. At the top flight of the Malaysian football league system and it is managed by the Malaysia Super League Sdn Bhd, under supervision of the Football Association of Malaysia...
it was known as Malaysian League (M-League) before 2004, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia- Qualified to the Malaysia Cup
Malaysia Cup
The Malaysia Cup is an annual association football tournament in Malaysia. It is currently the longest-running football competition in Asia...
.
2002 Bahrain (football club)
Bahrain (football club)
Al-Bahrain Sports Club , otherwise simply known as Bahrain, is primarily a Bahraini football club based in the island-governorate of Al-Muharraq. Their football team currently play in the Bahrain first division league. Their home football stadium is the Al Muharraq Stadium, which they share along...
, Bahraini Premier League
Bahraini Premier League
The Bahraini Premier League is the main football competition in Bahrain. The first season was held in 1957. The winners of the domestic championship qualify for the AFC Cup. The championship is currently contested by 10 clubs-Current Structure:...
, Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
.
2002–2003 Iraq national Olympic football team.
2004 Tadamon Sour
Tadamon Sour
Tadamon Sour is a Lebanese football team playing at the top level. It is based in Tyre. Their home stadium is Sour Stadium.-Beginning in 1939:...
, Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League is the top division of the Federation Libanaise de Football Association football league competitions. It was founded in 1900 and began in 1934 and their confederation is the AFC...
, Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
2005–2006 Consultant in the Iraqi Football Association (Technical Committee).
2007/2008 Al-Nejmeh Sporting Club, Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League
Lebanese Premier League is the top division of the Federation Libanaise de Football Association football league competitions. It was founded in 1900 and began in 1934 and their confederation is the AFC...
, Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
2009 Sabah FA
Sabah FA
The Football Association of Sabah is a registered football association affiliated with the Football Association of Malaysia. The association's football team competes in Malaysia's football league representing the state of Sabah in Borneo. Sabah FA is a professional football club and one of the 14...
, Malaysia Premier League, Malaysia.
Wathiq Naji coached also many football clubs in Iraq such as Al-Naft, Kut, Al-Sinaa and Najaf FC.
External links
- Wathiq Naji :ar:واثق ناجي
- The National & International Iraqi Information of Soccer http://www.niiis.com/history1/wathik1.html
- Lebanese football Website http://www.lebanese-football.com/lf/absolutenm/templates/newsdetails.asp?articleid=1315&zoneid=17
- Lebanese football Website http://www.lebanese-football.com/lf/absolutenm/templates/newsdetails.asp?articleid=1314&zoneid=17
- The North European Rec. Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF) http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/iraq-coach.html
- Al-Akhbar Newspaper http://www.al-akhbar.com/ar/node/57158
- Assafir Newspaper http://www.assafir.com/Article.aspx?EditionId=814&ChannelId=18298&ArticleId=1223&Author=