On video: Waleed Al-Farraj criticises Abdullah Al-Hamdan: his thinking is slow and he suffers from "sluggishness"!

Al-Nassr striker in the firing line

Saudi media personality Waleed Al-Faraj has criticised Abdullah Al-Hamdan, the Al-Nassr and Saudi national team striker, after a lacklustre display in the opening match of the Arabian Gulf Cup "Gulf 27", claiming he suffers from slow thinking.

Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait 1-0 on Wednesday at the Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, in the first round of the group stage of the 27th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup.

Al-Hamdan endured a night to forget. He spurned several clear chances, and the Saudi Arabia fans jeered him off the pitch.

Speaking on the "Rotana Sport with Waleed" programme on the "Rotana Khalijia" channel, Al-Faraj did not hold back on the Al-Nassr striker: "I do not want to criticise anyone, but what captain Abdullah Al-Hamdan is producing is not acceptable."

He explained: "There are some players who need two seconds to make a decision, and this is an unsuitable type of striker."

Turning his words directly to Al-Hamdan, he added: "You must focus more, work more, and be more alive. Look at the players around you, such as (Mohammed) Abu Al-Shamat and Mutaib (Al-Harbi), the national team around you is good."

His verdict was blunt: "The moment always delays you, and you suffer from stalling for two seconds. If that ends, things will be different for you, and you will produce a lot with the Saudi national team."