Dubai Al Wasl coach Diego Maradona has officially withdrawn his transfer fund ultimatum, begrudgingly confirming his acceptance to work within the constraints of the club's existing budget.
The Argentinian had twice told the Dubai club that he would quit if they didn't give him more funds to spend on his team in the summer, but an Al Wasl statement last week announced that he had backed down on his demands. The club said Maradona would see out his contract, which runs until the end of next season.
And on Sunday, speaking publicly for the first time since his meeting with the board, Maradona confirmed he had withdrawn his threats.
Downbeat
Addressing the media after Al Wasl's 2-0 Etisalat Pro League defeat to Al Wahda — a ‘home' tie played on the neutral territory of Al Nasr due to ongoing sanctions — a downbeat Maradona said: "I don't want to talk about reinforcements, the board, the management or new players. If I said anything about them in the past, it was only out of my frustration to win. I will respect my contract and continue to fight next season with what I have, even without reinforcements.
"In my meeting with the board last week I was told all that I required had already been made available to me. That's why I don't want to talk about this anymore.
"I spoke to the chairman [Marwan Bin Bayat] and he made it clear the reinforcements to the team and formation had already been made before I joined. This had not been made clear to me or I had not understood this at the start of the season. That's why I don't want to talk about this subject anymore."
'Not enough support'
Maradona, whose side plummeted to eighth in the league on Sunday after conceding goals to Hugo Henrique and Saeed Al Kathiri, rendering a top-four finish mathematically impossible with two games to spare, added: "If there has been a problem this season, maybe it's that there has not been enough support.
"But it has now been made clear to me that the requirements were already made available to me at the beginning of the season. In the next meeting with the board I'll discuss changes to available players, but at the end I remain coach, I respect my contract and respect the decisions of formation and the players made available to me.
"I will continue to work with what I have and, even if I couldn't achieve success this season, I will strive for it next year. I thank the club and respect their decision. I thank the board for giving me the chance to continue next season."
