Dubai: Al Wasl unveiled Laurent Banide as their new coach on Tuesday. The 45-year-old Frenchman, who guided newly promoted Al Dhafra to eighth in the Etisalat Pro League this season, signed a two-year deal starting on July 1st.
He replaces Emirati coach Eid Baroot who will join newly promoted Emirates Club next season after recording Al Wasl’s lowest ever league finish of ninth this season.
Banide is the sixth coach in 10 months at the club since Diego Maradona’s sacking last summer. Bruno Metsu left in October after being diagnosed with cancer and his assistant Gilles Morrisseau took charge until Guy Lacombe was appointed in November. Lacombe was sacked and replaced with Baroot in February.
“Over the last few years the club has faced many difficulties,” said Banide, who managed French league side Monaco over two spells in 2006 and 2011. “But, with this new dynamic we will work shoulder-to-shoulder as one. The mission is not easy but we will do our best.
“The desire is to collect championships and be within the UAE’s top teams and this will push us on. Al Wasl is one of the most important teams in the region and have won a lot of honours. They have a strong fan base and the infrastructure is there to succeed.
“Next season is about checking the requirements and finding the shortfalls to work upon. But from what I’ve seen the team is well organised. We just have to put the mechanisms together for success and the best answer to this is hard work,” he added.
Al Wasl chairman Abdullah Hareb Al Falahi said integrating youth would be Banide’s brief. “We’ve passed through a difficult duration and we need someone with the same vision as us to build the team from next season,” said Hareb. “We will rely on the talent of our academy. This vision is for the next ten years not only the next one or two seasons. We thank older players but this is the life cycle and younger players should take their place for the future.
“We wish and hope for the championship but we are not promising anything for the time being. It’s a matter of steps and proceeding together to put the club back in first position. We will be looking for the materials to repair the mechanisms to support all youth and senior teams,” said Al Falahi, who confirmed their four foreigners; Jussie Vieira, Emiliano Alfaro, Ahmad Ebrahim and Achille Emana were all leaving. Only Mariano Donda remains.
Asked if this was a more sensible approach from the club compared to this time two years ago when they appointed Maradona, Al Falahi said: “I cannot answer about what’s gone on before as this is only our third month as a new board. We are planning for the future and whether or not its better or worse than Maradona — we hope its better to make it easier on ourselves.”
