TIE YOUR BOOT LACES, FOLKS
Four decades can be a long wait and it seems, Al Jazira are making up for lost time.
After breaking the duck, so to speak, by finally laying their hands on what had proved to be an elusive Arabian Gulf League Shield in the 2010-11 season, the Abu Dhabi club endured another spell in the wilderness, five seasons to be precise, before adding the second, last season.
The ‘Pride of Abu Dhabi,’ as they are known, Al Jazira displayed a different and attacking brand of football to be a cut above the rest, last time out. Their title tilt marked the end of the hegemony long held by Al Ahli and Al Ain.
It is perhaps a matter of conjecture or a tad too early in the piece on whether Al Jazira can spawn a dominance of their own, but if their signings in the summer are anything to go by, the Abu Dhabi club look strong to replicate their exploits in the new season of the UAE top flight which goes on the road next month.
The biggest statement of intent Al Jazira have made during the close season was to prise Emirati striker and 2015 AFC Player of the Year Ahmed Khalil from Al Ahli (now Shabab Al Ahli Dubai). The 26-year-old left his boyhood club to join ranks with Al Jazira and his move to the UAE capital represents a massive coup for the Pride of Abu Dhabi.
It brings together one of most potent strike forces ever seen, since the League turned professional in 2008, and a homegrown one to boot. After partnering for the country, Khalil will be tying boot laces with Ali Ahmed Mabkhout in the same dressing room and will be strutting their stuff for the same club.
Mabkhout was in sublime form last season, emerging as the top goal scorer and their pairing makes it a fearsome Emirati frontline, and the envy of other clubs, in the new season.
Al Jazira have also signed up Uzbekistan international Sardor Rashidov and have retained Moroccan international Mbark Boussoufa. Old fox Henk ten Cate, the former FC Barcelona and Chelsea assistant coach, who moulded this side in to a fighting unit, remains at the helm.
Standing in Al Jazira’s way would be none other than Al Ain, record 12-time League champions, no less. The Boss are hurting after finishing fourth last term and they would be looking to hit back after missing out on silverware for the first time in years.
The Garden City club have bolstered their squad with Swedish international Marcus Berg and have brought in Tsukasa Shiotani for Lee Myung Joo, as their Asian recruit. With Caio and the retained Douglas as well as their talisman Omar Abdulrahman in the middle, watch out for some fireworks. Zoran Mamic’s side are out of the AFC Champions League next year and will look to return.
The League this season has been re-
duced to 12 teams with Al Ahli, Al Shabab and promoted Dubai FC merged to become one entity — Shabab Al Ahli Dubai. It is a bit of an unknown on how they will fare and it remains to be seen if the shrewd tactician Cosmin Olaroiu, the most successful manager on these shores, can work up a magic in the new club’s first season in the UAE top flight.
There are two dark horses in the League — Al Wasl and Al Nasr. Al Wasl finished second last season and with it punched their ticket for the AFC Champions League next season. The Cheetahs, coached by Rodolfo Arruabarrena, would be one of the teams to watch out for this season. They have Fabio de Lima, Caio Canedo, the impressive Ronaldo Mendes and newly-acquired Manchester City loanee Anthony Caceres on their books.
Al Nasr too, under former Italian coach Cesare Prandelli, could come up with a surprise or two and they have a strong mix of Emiratis and foreigner in Jassem Yaqoub, Salem Saleh, Wanderley, Joan Oumari, Abdelaziz Barrada and Marcelo Cirino.
Abu Dhabi side Al Wahda too look settled with a strong line-up and their excursion in the Arab Club Championship would have given them much needed miles to tackle the new season. As usual, talisman Ismail Matar is there along with Sebastian Tagliabue, Balázs Dzsudzsák, Rim Chang-woo and Mourad Batna.
Meanwhile, Hatta did well in their first season by remaining in the top flight and should do so well again under their coach Gjoko Hadzievski. If all goes well and if they can manage to punch above their weight, Hatta could be in the top five.
Elsewhere, Al Sharjah too would be a bit of an unknown quantity after their merger with Al Shaab, and it would be interesting to see how they go about under Jose Peseiro.
Al Dhafra finished a strong seventh, behind Al Nasr and above Al Shabab and Al Sharjah. As always, they are a tricky team as the top teams would attest.
With the League reduced to 12 teams this season, Dibba and Emirates will have to do much better to avoid the drop.
It all points towards an interesting season.
After my previous experiences, I’m very much motivated. Here, there is a very serious project, longterm project and we want to grow with the club. We want to better the position from last year Cesare Prandelli
If we relax and think everything is done, because of what we did last year, it will speak very badly of us. So, we have to carry on and show what we can do on the field, without talking Rodolfo Arruabarrena