Qatar still an unknown quantity on the pitch

UNKNOWN QUANTITY: Qatar manager Felix Sanchez has been in Qatar for 16 years, a lifer at the Aspire Academy, the sprawling state-of-the-art complex in the shadows of Khalifa Stadium in west Doha established to give the country the sporting success its royal leaders craved. Pic: Trenka Attila/PA Wire

Have Ecuador been on to Chris McKee? Maybe they should fly the young Linfield striker out to base camp here, just for some last-minute pointers.

With so many questions swirling around the morals and the merits of Qatar as host nation for this World Cup, their team has been able to do most of its preparation in the shadows. The question for Felix Sanchez’s side ahead of Sunday’s opener against Ecuador is: which version of Qatar will finally show up?