Dubai: Al Wasl coach Gabriel Calderon lashed out at the UAE Football Association’s (UAE FA) decision to postpone Hugo Viana’s controversial transfer from Al Ahli on Sunday.
The Portuguese midfielder’s move had been one of five transfers made during an unauthorised two-hour extension of the transfer deadline on October 2, which led to the resignation of transfer commission chief Nasser Al Yamahi.
Clubs had appealed to the UAE FA to temporarily re-open the transfer window in order to finalise their deals, but the governing body ruled on Sunday that players would have to wait until the transfer window officially re-opens in January before completing their moves.
Viana is now in limbo and can’t play for either club, while Al Wasl are the only club in the Arabian Gulf League who will have to play without a fourth foreign player for the first four months of the season.
The Cheetahs originally signed Brazilian forward Neto Berola to play alongside his countrymen Ederson, Fabio Lima and Caio Correa, but they held off on registering Berola in order to sign Viana at the last minute and now the club is left with neither Viana or Berola.
“I am not happy because I don’t know why the move hasn’t been accepted,” said Calderon. “I respect the decision of the UAE FA, but this is a big handicap for the club.
“Viana is a very important player and to play with just three foreigners until January is not possible. But, I’m sure, other players are working hard for their opportunity to play and will give the same for the club until Hugo comes back.”
Al Wasl are currently 12th in the 14-team Arabian Gulf League with six points from the first seven games of the season.
Argentine coach Calderon replaced Brazilian tactician Jorginho who was sacked after a poor start to the season but, without a fourth foreign player, Calderon will now find it hard to turn things around.
“To me, this is not fair play,” Calderon added. “Al Ahli get a free slot to buy again, but Al Wasl don’t get the player. The best solution for fair play would be for Al Ahli to get the free slot and Al Wasl to get the player.”
The other players and clubs whose transfers have been affected by this rule are Bani Yas’ Mohammad Nasser and Sa’ad Surour, Fujairah’s Ahmad Ebrahim and Al Shaab’s Ahmad Juma.
