Jorge Fossati (R) shaking hands with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of Qatar Football Association (QFA), after signing a three-year contract as coach of Qatar’s national team in Doha yesterday.

DOHA: Uruguayan Jorge Fossati took over the reins of the under-performing Qatar national team on Monday and promised to turn it around.

The 55-year-old Fossati, who led Al Sadd to a grand treble in the Qatari League, has inked a three-year deal and takes over from Bosnian Dzemaluddin Musovic.

“My first priority is to raise the confidence level of the players,” said the former Uruguay manager. “The coach’s job is to help the players be confident on the pitch. That is what we shall focus on.”

Musovic’s final assignment was the recently concluded AFC Asian Cup™ where Qatar crashed out after the first round and under the Bosnian Qatar won the Gulf Cup in December 2005 and the Asian Games gold medal late last year.

“I know this is a big responsibility for me. We have a big challenge ahead of us,” Fossati told The Peninsula newspaper.

“I am from Uruguay. We have won two World Cups (1930 and 1950). I have managed the Uruguay national team also. I took up this challenge, knowing I can do it.”

“I know Qatar fans want to see their team do well. In my opinion, Qatar can do very well at the international level. We just have to raise the confidence of the players. We have to believe in ourselves,” the new coach added. “It is a big honour for me (to be asked to become coach).

“I was the coach of a club (Al Sadd) and now I shall manage the Qatar national team. I have a lot of faith in the players that are available to me,” Fossati said.