Abu Dhabi: Al Wahda have unveiled Mexican coach Javier Aguirre as their manager for the 2015/16 season, according to a statement on the club’s website.
The 56-year-old joins on a one-year deal after his contract with the Japan national team was annulled in February due to investigations into match-fixing allegations dating back to his time in charge of Spain’s Real Zaragoza from 2010 to 2011 and Espanyol from 2012 to 2014.
He replaces Saudi Arabian coach Sami Al Jaber, who left the Al Nahyan Stadium by mutual consent in May after the Clarets finished fourth in the Arabian Gulf League and crashed out in the third round of the President’s Cup following a penalty shootout defeat to second-tier Dubai Club.
Oman’s French coach Paul Le Guen had been linked with a move to Al Wahda earlier in the week, with Al Jaber said to be going the other way, but that move never materialised.
“Aguirre is a major asset to the Clarets for his expertise in training,” read a statement on the Al Wahda website on Thursday. “He is a qualified instructor and possesses a good resume.
“The coach arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night to sign a contract and discuss preparations for next season,” the statement added. “He then left for Madrid and will return to Abu Dhabi in ten days to start duties. A press conference to unveil the coach will be determined later.”
Aguirre managed his native Mexico at the 2002 and 2010 Fifa World Cups but failed to make it beyond the second round on both occasions, losing to the USA and then Argentina. He also led Japan in the 2015 Asian Cup in January, but they were knocked out by the UAE in the quarter-finals.
He won the Mexican Primera Division with Pachuca in 1999, the Uefa Intertoto Cup with Atletico Madrid in 2007 and the Concacaf Gold Cup with Mexico in 2009.
Aguirre denies all of the match-fixing allegations but could be called to give evidence in court in Spain.
Meanwhile, Iraqi defender Ahmad Ebrahim joined Al Dhafra on a one-year deal from relegated Ajman on Wednesday.
Ebrahim, 23, replaces Lebanese defender Bilal Najjarine as the Western Knights’ Asian foreign player, with the latter joining newly-promoted Dibba Fujairah.
Al Dhafra’s other confirmed foreign players are Senegalese striker Makhete Diop and newly acquired Argentinian midfielder Jorge Luna, who joined on a two-year deal from Chile’s Santiago Wanderers last week. The club are still in the market for a fourth foreign player.
Iraqi midfielder Humam Tariq and Moroccan winger Yousuf Kaddioui have both been released, while French coach Laurent Banide has had his contract extended until 2018.
Al Dhafra finished 11th in the 14-team Arabian Gulf League last season and reached the semi-finals of the President’s Cup.
