Al Wasl loss irrelevant with five games still to play, says Kalba coach

Ittihad Kalba coach Jorvan Vieira was bullish in his warning of teams teetering above the relegation zone when he told Gulf News he was out to get them in the last five games of the season — that's despite Sunday's 3-2 home loss to Al Wasl pegging back his side's survival hopes. "It's not over yet, I'm still alive, we are not relegated," said the 57-year-old Brazilian, a firefighter in world football having led Iraq to the seemingly impossible task of Asian Cup victory in 2007. Kalba twice came from behind against Al Wasl before conceding victory with 12 minutes left to play on Sunday. The loss ended a miracle run for the East coasters which has seen them beat Wahda, Bani Yas, Dhafra and draw with Al Ahli in the last four games, they also beat Al Ain under Vieira in December."Al Ain, Dubai and Al Ahli are all still in trouble. When I joined Kalba we were [at the] bottom with one point now we have 14 points and we have five games left with a possible 15 points still left to collect." Vieira said: "No one can take a club in that situation and do what I and the team have done. Given that achievement it's like we are champions already and every game is cup final day — I have to pick up points, it's attack or die." "If we don't survive it's just a consequence of football. There's no stress. It's nothing against my name. I was always confident of my abilities to take Iraq to the final in 2007 that's why I drafted win bonuses into my contract and I feel just the same now." Asked if he was a coach best placed in adversity, the journeyman said: "Everyone wants to manage Man United, Chelsea or Barcelona of course but a professional will accept you have to face different conditions — in football you have to be ready for anything." Kalba now face difficult tests at home to Shabab, away to Al Jazira, home to Al Ain, away to Dubai and at home to Al Nasr.