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Much-loved UAE footballer will be missed: Pagelsdorf

"He was well-liked and loved here at Al Nasr and his death is a big blow; a big loss not just to the club, but to UAE football in general," Coach Frank Pagelsdorf

  • By Duane Fonseca, Staff Reporter, Gulf News
  • Published: 14:45 November 19, 2009

  • Image Credit: Kiran Prasad, Gulf News
  • Footballer Salim Saad.

Dubai: Coach Frank Pagelsdorf led the tributes to Salem Saad, the Al Nasr and UAE national team striker who died of a heart-attack during training late Wednesday night, describing the 31-year-old as a “good human being and a person well-liked and loved at the club”.

Saad joined Al Nasr at the start of the season after a fall-out with coach Toninho Cerezo at Al Shabab. He collapsed during a training session at the club’s Al Maktoum Stadium and was rushed to the neighbouring Rashid Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Pagelsdorf said Saad’s loss is yet to sink in. “Nobody can believe Salem Saad has died. I don’t think we’ll be training for a few days, after that the club will decide what must be done,” Pagelsdorf told Gulf News.

The German added that though he spent little time with Saad, he was impressed by the UAE international’s work ethic and “team spirit”. “He was a very nice human being, a funny sort of guy at times, good humoured, but immensely talented, helpful, so much so that everybody loved him at this club. He was well-liked and loved here at Al Nasr and his death is a big blow; a big loss not just to the club, but to UAE football in general.”

Yousef Abdullah, the General Secretary of the UAE Football Association, said he has enjoyed a good relationship with the Saad’s because of their rich footballing history and their association with Al Shabab Club, where he once worked. Salem was one of the few players to have represented the UAE at all levels and Abdullah said: “This was very sad news we received yesterday and we’ve lost a close member of our UAE footballing family.

“Salem was involved with UAE football from a very tender age. He played for the U-17 and U-20 teams, the Olympic team and the national team. He comes from a footballing family. His brothers were part of the national team and so was his father. His father also died on the football field, so this incident is very sad – a black mark in world football.

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“Salem was a friend of mine because he was part of the youth system at Al Shabab when I worked there. He was one of the enthusiastic boys and we became close because of our association with Al Shabab. He showed at an early age what a talent he could be. He achieved a lot with Al Shabab, helped them win the UAE league and was an integral part of the national team too and we are very upset with this loss.”

Al Nasr technical committee member Humaid Al Tayer called Saad’s death a disaster and said the club won’t train for the next few days. He added that Al Nasr would seek a change of date for their upcoming league matches. “This was a disaster; Salem died in front of his friends and everybody is really sad. We will not indulge in any kind of training for the next two days and we’ll take a call after that. We are planning to write to the UAE FA and will ask them to change the dates of a few of our next league matches,” Al Tayer said.

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