Dubai: Sixth in the Etisalat Pro League and out of contention for domestic silverware, results in Diego Maradona's first season in charge at Al Wasl Football Club have yet to wow the critics.
But it's the results off the field which seem to have more than compensated for El Diego's shortcomings.
Based on statistics released exclusively to Gulf News, Maradona has already attracted an estimated Dh270 million worth of international coverage for Al Wasl.
The Argentine's presence looks set to revolutionise the way local clubs market their brand and generate income.
It would be ironic if Maradona — a man so unpredictable, of so many contradictions and so full of emotion — was the answer to the UAE's existing football culture of impatience and knee-jerk reactions.
For now, the books seem balanced and the Al Wasl brand seems strong, making the marriage between the former player of the century and the UAE's Club of the Century a harmonious match.
But the question mark remains over whether Maradona can turn these strong financial foundations into dominance on the field.
