Tajikistan coach Petar Segrt, known for his warm and affable demeanor and commanding voice, has gained popularity for his charm at the Asian Cup.

He is now capturing attention as his team embarks on a remarkable journey to the quarterfinals.

As the sole debutant in the tournament in Qatar, Tajikistan entered as the competition's underdogs receiving minimal attention when the 24-team group stage commenced.

However, they astounded the continent by not only progressing to the knockout stage but also orchestrating the upset of the tournament by eliminating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on penalties in the last 16 on Sunday.

"We are now the dark horses in this tournament. Nobody knows how far we can go. I have no limits for my players; they've surprised me again," the 57-year-old Segrt told reporters.

A well-traveled coach who has taken charge of teams such as Georgia, Afghanistan and the Maldives, the Croatian has become a national hero in Tajikistan in the past week.

His demeanor and showmanship came across as a ploy to shift the limelight away from his young squad and the tactic has clearly worked.

"It's like when you have children, you must wait for the right moment," Segrt had said when asked whether his personality protected his team during the group stage. "Now they are ready ... I will still try to put all the pressure on me, but they must work like adults and do it themselves."

Conceding only one goal against Qatar, a comeback win over Lebanon and nearly beating the UAE in 90 minutes before dumping them out in the shootout is proof that his team is perhaps better than their ranking of 106 would suggest.

"We are among the eight best teams in Asia," said Segrt, whose side will face Iraq or Jordan next.

Center of attention

Croatia's Segrt makes a point of shaking everyone's hand in the room before his news conferences.

He says he has done it out of respect for 27 years.

"I come from a very poor background in a very difficult situation in old Yugoslavia and Germany. I learned to respect everybody because for me, as a child, it was very difficult," he said.

"I never forget where I come from ... I think I have an honest soul; this is my most important thing."

His style of management has clearly struck a chord with his young players, who engulfed him and broke his glasses when they qualified for the last-16.

"He's very positive every time, very kind. But he knows when he has to be friendly and kind and when he has to be hard and strict towards us," Tajikistan defender Zoir Dzhuraboev said.

When some players sat on the turf in the dugout before the shootout against the UAE, Segrt sternly asked them to get back on their feet and present a united front, standing shoulder to shoulder.

"I think the most important thing is to make harmony between people," he said. "A coach who can make and bring harmony to the people, this is a good coach and a successful coach."

Segrt's contract runs out after the Asian Cup, but there is no question where his loyalty lies.

"We'll see in the next few days, but I must say that Tajikistan is my first country," he said.