Sport | Football
Player transfers mark the new era
The professional era has arrived and before a ball has even been kicked it has had a major impact.
- By Sayed Ali, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:03 July 24, 2008
- Image Credit: Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News
- Milad Midawadi, of Al Ahli, and Tariq Hassan Abdullah, of Al Wasl, during the final President's Cup match. If they had wanted to leave, it would have been for their clubs to decide but the professional league had given players more freedom.
Dubai: The professional era has arrived and before a ball has even been kicked it has had a major impact.
For the first time, UAE clubs take part in one of world's favourite summer activities - the transfer season.
A host of players will kick-off the first professional season in September at new clubs after agreeing deals to move to new sides.
This was prohibited in the past with players having to stay at their club even if they got an offer from another side.
Perhaps the most notable example of the old system was UAE soccer legend Adnan Taliyani who was forced to stay with his club Al Shaab in Sharjah.
Major offers
The forward scored 53 times in 164 appearances for UAE and he spent 20 years with the Sharjah side, playing for them from 1982 until he retired.
A host of big UAE clubs like Al Ain, Al Nasr, Al Ahli, Al Jazira, Al Wasl, showed interest in signing him and made big money offers with big offers.
There was speculation that some of the offers were over Dh10 million but Al Shaab refused to sell and kept Taliyani until he retirement.
Al Shaab's refusal to sell meant one of UAE's greatest footballers never won the league title.
Before the professional league starts next season, many players have joined new clubs and some received good offers, which would secure their future financially.
The first deal to be announced was the move of Saif Mohammad from Al Shaab to Al Ain for Dh10 million. That made Saif the UAE's most expensive Emirati player so far.
Striker moves
Walid Murad, the Al Nasr striker, signed for neighbours Al Wasl for Dh6 million while Al Wasl paid Dh3.5 million to Al Shaab for the services of midfielder Yousuf Hasan.
Abdul Rahman Ebrahim, the Al Shaab defender and former UAE player who scored the winner against Iraq in the 1996 Asian cup quarterfinals in Abu Dhabi, was transfered to Ajman for Dh 400,000.
Some clubs have refused to reveal the details of their players' transfer deals and keep them secret as they have done when signing coaches.
Numerous players have taken advantage of the professional league to switch clubs and, whatever else happens with the professional league, the summer transfer merry-go-round is here to stay.
Legendary UAE forward Adnan Taliyani spent 20 years with Al Shaab. Despite big money offers to move, the Sharjah club refused to allow it.
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