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Bahrain's soccer coach Milan Macala was livid last week after a defeat and a draw in the long and laborious qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup.
The defeat against Japan at home was pathetic and the draw against Qatar in Doha a painstaking effort. The 64-year-old Czech tactician therefore was understandably beside himself.
"The team was unrecognisable. It lacked spirit," Macala fumed at the National Stadium after a 3-2 beating at the hands of Japan on Saturday. Five days later, Bahrain managed to salvage a point against Qatar in a 1-1 draw. It did not completely change the mood in the kingdom, but it was just about enough to stop smoke coming out of the coach's ears.
But the truth was inescapable - five days was enough to see the different sides of Bahrain soccer - the good, the bad, and the ugly, not necessarily in that order. More importantly, it threw more questions, raised more doubts and, above all, clearly suggested it was time for a change. All in less than a week.
Yes, it's time for Bahrain soccer to change direction and take some tough and uncompromising decisions even if it means a change of guard in the team. The side that played against Japan looked jaded, lacked spirit as Macala himself conceded, and was clearly second class and not just second best.
But the one that took on Qatar was, of course, untested but not unimaginative and uneasy with the task on hand. It throbbed with life; untiring in its efforts to assert itself, and hungry and greedy for success.
At the heart of this new-look and renewed effort was the new faces in the team, notably that of Jaycee John who started the match in place of the talismanic striker Ala'a Hubail. Two more 'imports' - Abdulla Fatai and Abdulla Omar - provided extra edge to the midfield and with it more freedom for striker Salman Isa at the top of the attack.
Towards the end, another senior Bahraini player Mohammed Salmeen too was substituted as Bahrain pressed hard for the match-winner after having equalised. It was a refreshing sight to watch a young side play with so much flair, flexibility and, more vitally, a lot of aggression. John, Omar and Fatai are the future of Bahrain and hold the key which can open the door to the 2010 World Cup.
It is, of course, not advisable to make wholesale changes overnight, particularly at a time when the stakes are so high and margin for error so little. Hubail, Salmeen and Latif along with a few other seniors still have a lot to offer to Bahrain's cause, but it is clear they can be more effective in short bursts at selective times.
As a senior official suggested, they can even be used as a secret or surprise weapons to renew or rejuvenate the team. After all, they have tons of experience - seen and done it all. To totally rely on them, however, would be self-defeating.
But, right now, Bahrain needs to balance its act and not veer either too much towards youth or excessively towards expereince. With just one point from two matches and fourth in the table of five teams, the road ahead is bumpy and unpredictable.
It was somewhat similar two years ago ahead of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Pitted against Iran and Japan in the final qualifying round, Bahrain managed to finish third, ahead of North Korea to set up a two-legged play-off with Uzbekistan. They advanced on away goals, if you care to remember.
What followed was heartbreaking as Bahrain managed a 1-1 draw in Port-of-Spain against Trinidad and Tobabo in the final play-off before losing at home when a place in the final was just 90 minutes away. Bahrain came so agonisingly close to realising a long-cherished dream.
Two years on, Bahrain are on familiar terrority with equally familar foes. But this time, Bahrain has to look at things differently to avoid the usual pitfalls. Think differently, plan differently and play differently. Being different can make the difference.
I hope to see the difference when Bahrain take on Australia at the National Stadium on November 19.
