Al Anbari likely to be next UAE coach
dubai — Former Shabab Al Ahli and Al Wasl coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena is likely to be the next Sharjah manager, paving the way for incumbent Abdulaziz Al Anbari to take up the role of coach of the UAE National team.
The UAE coaching job has been lying vacant since last Monday after the UAE Football Association (UAEFA) parted ways with Serbian Ivan Jovanovic.
And according to Arabic daily Al Bayan, who has learnt from an informed source within the Sharjah Club management that they are lining up Arruabarrena as a replacement starting next season.
Al Bayan reported that the club has reached an agreement with the Argentine to lead the team for two seasons.
The media outlet said that Arruabarrena will start his new position next season and further added that Al Anbari will lead the team during the current campaign, which has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Al Bayan reported that Al Anbari will fill the spot vacated by Jovanovic.
Sharjah, the reigning Arabian Gulf League champions, had denied reports which said that they had ended their partnership with Al Anbari, on the same day that the UAEFA had announced Jovanovic’s termination.
The UAEFA Board has delegated the National Teams and Technical Affairs Committee to appoint a new coach.
The National team’s preparations for the joint qualifiers of the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup are currently on ice, following the pandemic.
Al Anbari, formerly a player with Sharjah, ended the club’s 23-year wait for the League title by guiding them to the trophy last season.
Meanwhile, Arruabarrena, the former Boca Juniors coach, had guided Shabab Al Ahli to the President’s Cup and the Arabian Gulf Cup last season, apart from finishing runners-up in the League.
He is currently free after Shabab Al Ahli dispensed with his services last month.