Saudis not here to make up the numbers - Anjos

JAKARTA, July 21 (Reuters) Saudi Arabia have great respect for powerhouses Japan and Australia but are not at the Asian Cup just to make up the numbers, according to their coach Helios Cesar dos Anjos.

The Saudis, three-times Asian Cup champions, were unbeaten in Group D and face Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals at Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium tomorrow.

While the performances of defending champions Japan and pre-tournament favourites Australia have been the talking points of the competition, Brazilian Anjos said his side were not merely also-rans.

''We have a lot of respect for Japan and Australia but we are not here just to participate,'' he told a news conference today.

''We respect all the teams in the competition. In tomorrow's game Uzbekistan will be a very, very tough team .... but we have our own dreams and we are trying to reach them.'' Anjos said he was not troubled by Uzbek coach Rauf Inileyev's promise of a ''surprise'' for the Saudis in the quarter-finals.

''This is the time for psychological war,'' he said.

''They have the potential to change and to pull a surprise but I hope that doesn't happen in our game.'' Despite drawing with 2002 World Cup semi-finalists South Korea and defeating Indonesia (2-1) and Bahrain (4-0) in the group stage, Anjos has been criticised for Saudi Arabia's performances.

But the Brazilian said the philosophy for his side was one of ''transition, bringing on a new generation'', and that problems were to be expected.

''We have to know our limits. I'm not the coach of Argentina or Brazil,'' he said.

''Our focus is to play with young players, it's a transition time. This brings confusion and it is a risk but up until now they have done very well.

''We have worked hard to get here and we will have to work even more to get to the semi-final and final.'' REUTERS BJR KP1446