BEIRUT: New Lebanon national team coach Theo Booker has laid out his plans ahead of The Cedars’ Asian World Cup qualifying group Monday following his unveiling.

“There is potential to develop the capacity of the Lebanese player, but we need time, we will try to improve our performance and we are developing during this short period that precedes the World Cup qualifiers,” said Booker before rallying the unions and media to back the Lebanese national team.

The German was in Lebanon nine years ago as coach of the national team and club side Sagesse before embarking on a career around the Middle East.

Currently the coach of league and cup champions Ahed, Booker said he will draw players from his national team in an early bid to gain cohesion and understanding.

“Ahed provide the largest group within the national team,” Booker told As-Safir. “It will help facilitate the task [of qualification], because the Ahed players are at present physically and artistically 100 percent, so we will try to create unity and understanding and harmony between the players, and then we will be able to reach the goal.”

Booker is also keen on tempting Lebanon’s only two professional players Roda Antar and Youssef Mohammad out of international retirement to help the team progress, stressing the challenge that faces the Lebanese team comparing his side’s potential to that of group rivals Kuwait.

“The Kuwaiti team is good because it has a material support and can naturalize foreign players over the long term. Despite our potential, I do not see a big difference.”