Ali: I did what was required with tools I had
UAE ex-coach leaves Shabab Al Ahli with no regrets saying his record is unquestionable
Former UAE coach Mahdi Ali left Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club on Sunday with no regrets saying no one had achieved what he had locally.
Ali took over from Cosmin Olaroiu in December after the club were on a run of eight games without a win.
Although the 53-year-old Emirati initially took that tally up to 12 games without a victory, he eventually turned the corner on poor form to finish fifth in the Arabian Gulf League with only one defeat in his last six games. And that came at home to Al Wasl in the last day of the season on Sunday, after which his contract expired without renewal.
Overall, he won four, drew four and lost four in the league, and led the club to the Arabian Gulf Cup and President’s Cup semi-finals.
It followed his reign as UAE coach where he qualified the Under-23s to the Olympics for the first time in their history in 2012, won the 2013 Gulf Cup and finished third in the 2015 Asian Cup, before failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
Not played a full team
“In four months we haven’t played with a full team, missing almost 11 players due to injuries and military service,” he said. “If any other team had gone through what we did they wouldn’t have coped.
“Despite these difficult conditions, we still got 16 points and in contrast Shabab Al Ahli only had 15 points when I took over.
“As for preparations next season, these things will be in the hands of the board and the new coach. I hope that several points I have raised concerning players and other things will be taken into consideration.
“I wish success to the new coach who will lead the team next season because my job now ends on the basis of my agreement with the club. I do not regret my leadership of the team, where I did the role required of me based on the tools available.
“There is no coach in the history of the UAE who has achieved what I have done. There are those who want to distort history, but they will not be able to do that with what I’ve achieved.”
According to reports in the Arabic press, Shabab Al Ahli are in talks with Argentine former River Plate and Paraguay coach Ramon Diaz who last managed Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and Chilean current Al Ittihad coach Jose Luis Sierra. A new coach is expected to be announced soon ready to start preparations for next season, especially as all four foreigner players are expected to be changed.
Overall, he [Mahdi Ali] won four, drew four and lost four in the league, and led the club to the Arabian Gulf Cup and President’s Cup semi-finals.