Abu Dhabi: Al Jazira have sacked Brazilian coach Abel Braga after the manager failed to get the team out of their rut this season since taking over from Belgian Eric Gerets in June.
Gulf News understands that the coach and club mutually agreed to part ways without either party demanding any compensation for breaking the contract midway. Braga himself informed the players about the club’s move following Saturday’s training session.
Reliable sources say Al Jazira are zeroing in on a Dutch coach to revive their fortunes and though it was still not clear who that is, he is expected to be here soon.
Braga, who led the team to glory in the local league in 2011, failed to impress in his second stint and the pressure was mounting after his team could only manage three victories from 16 matches.
In the three year spell with Jazira from 2008, Braga saw the side to the 2010 League Cup title, before clinching the league and the President’s Cup but nothing has gone his way this time round.
Currently, his team are placed a disappointing 11th in the Arabian Gulf League having gone dry without a win in the last five outings. It was clear the club was running out of patience with Braga and the humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Fujairah on Thursday has clearly sealed his fate.
One of the main reasons for Jazira’s forgettable performance this season has been the injury to key players. A lot was expected from them this season after they played second fiddle to eventual winners Al Ain last season. However, injuries to Mirko Vucinic and Jefferson Farfan severally hampered their aspirations. Poor form of Thiago Neves and Park Jong-woo also hurt the team dearly and Braga failed to stem the slide.
