Striker Khribin, the 2017 AFC Player of the Year, will be expected to lead from the the front while Al Somah has been captain, replacing the injured Firas Al Khatib.

Syria have never advanced beyond the group phase of the AFC Asian Cup, having narrowly missed out on a place in the quarter-finals in 1996 when the tournament was last held in the United Arab Emirates.

However, Stange, who came out of retirement to lead the Qasioun Eagles, has set his sights on the knockout stage despite being drawn with defending champions Australia, Palestine and Jordan in Group B.

Syria, drawn in Group B, are determined to make an impact in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 after their 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia adventure, where they came within two matches of advancing to the Inter-Continental Playoff.

The Qasioun Eagles have never survived the group stage at the Continental Finals, but the current Syrian side is one with ample reason to believe they are capable of going to the knockout stage and beyond.

Prolific striker Al Somah and 2017 AFC Player of the Year Omar Khribin are the spearheads of a talented Syrian squad, which went within 180 minutes of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup before losing a play-off thriller to reigning Asian champions Australia 3-2 over two legs.

Syria are set to face the Australians again in the UAE but Al Somah isn't interested in looking back, preferring to focus on a competition he believes his side are capable of winning.

In a wide-ranging interview with the-AFC.com, the globetrotting German boss discussed his return to football, his inside knowledge of Group B opponents Australia and the steely resolve of his playing group.

Stange has seen it all - and had seemingly seen enough when he decided to call time on his decorated career in July 2016 - but the veteran tactician simply couldn't shake his love affair with the game, coming out of retirement to lead Syria's campaign at UAE 2019.

Stange’s team have been drawn to face Australia – who ended Syria’s hopes of a debut World Cup appearance – Palestine and Jordan in Group B of the 2019 edition of the Continental showpiece, with the Syrians kicking off their campaign against the Palestinians in Sharjah on January 6.

And as they seek to build on the performances that took the country into the play-off phase of qualifying for Russia 2018, Stange stresses the desire to succeed comes from within the playing group.

Syria were very close to making the FIFA World Cup for the first time, but they fell in the Continental playoff, with Australia going on to become Asia's fifth representative in Russia 2018. A "golden generation" spearheaded by Khribin and his strike partner Omar Al Somah looks to make amends in UAE 2019.

Nationality: Syria
Date of birth: 15/01/1994
Position: Striker
Current club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Previous clubs: Al Wahda (Syria), Air Force Club, Al Mina’ (Iraq), Al Dhafra (UAE)

Despite not being an out-and-out striker, Maraaba's tally of nine goals in 25 caps means he will be one of his country's primary attacking weapons as they look to improve on their sole AFC Asian Cup display four years ago when they lost all games and scored just one goal.

Nationality: Palestine Date of birth: 19/03/1992 Position: Midfielder Current club: Shabab Al Khalil (Palestine) Previous clubs: Islami Qalqiliya, Shabab Yatta, Shabab Al Khadar, Thaqafi Tulkarem, Ahli Al Khalil (All Palestine)