Abu Dhabi: Argentine football legend Gabriel Batistuta has issued a ‘come-and-get me’ plea to UAE clubs, stressing he would love to emulate his compatriot Diego Maradona and coach here.
Batistuta also told media at an Abu Dhabi Sports Council event on Sunday that he believes the UAE national team have the potential to win the Asian Cup in the future after their third-place finish at the event in Australia last Friday.
Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer with 56 goals in 78 matches between 1991 and 2002 was feted by ADSC at an event entitled ‘El Estrella Mundial’ (the world star) at the Sofitel Hotel to mark his 46th birthday.
On his desire to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious fellow countryman Maradona, who spent a season in charge of Dubai club Al Wasl in 2011/12, Batistuta said: “Yes, there is a possibility. Why not? I am free and I’d like to stay here, so why not? I am open for a chance [to coach].”
The man known as ‘Batigol’ during his career, who was renowned for his flamboyant machine gun-style goal celebration, added: “Have I spoken to any clubs here? No, not yet. But I want to [use] my experience on the pitch. I can talk, but I need the chance to [put this into] practice on the pitch. For me, practice and discipline are the magic words to become big in any sport, especially soccer.”
A tanned, smiling and lithe Batistuta, shorn of the flowing locks he sported during his stellar career, was presented with a birthday cake and a bouquet of flowers by ADSC officials.
The former Fiorentina and Roma striker, famed for his venomous, long-range shots which yielded an impressive 246 goals in 386 professional club appearances, had earlier reflected on his career and other football matters in a question-and-answer session.
However, English-language media such as Gulf News were deprived the chance to appreciate Batistuta’s musings as he spoke in Spanish and only Arabic translation was available.
Afterwards, however, local television and print media spoke briefly to Batistuta, who along with revealing his coaching ambitions, also hailed the UAE national team’s performance Down Under.
“The third place, that is the proof that you’re improving,” Batistuta, who lives in his native Argentina and who spends his time playing polo and golf, said in broken English. “If you keep working, you can keep going ahead and there are big chances that you can be first [and win the Asian Cup], why not?”
Batistuta also had words of praise for the Qatar 2022 World Cup – for which he was a bid ambassador – after ending his career with Qatari side Al Arabi 10 years ago following a two-year stint.
“I think it will be a nice World Cup, different,” he said. “It’s a small country and a lot of matches will be close together, but I think it will be fun.”
While the vast majority of Batistuta’s talk beforehand was incomprehensible to those not au fait with Spanish or Arabic, one answer suggested that he had been asked who he believes are the best players in the world.
“[Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Gonzalo] Higuain, [Carlos] Tevez and [Karim] Benzema,” the ex-striker, who attended last Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Invitational Pro-Am at Yas Links, said.
