Bauza chose UAE for the challenge

Dubai: New UAE coach Edgardo Bauza told press at his unveiling on Thursday that he had five offers on the table but took The Whites’ job for the challenge it posed.

The 59-year-old former Argentina coach signed a two-year deal to replace Mahdi Ali on Thursday, which will take him up until the UAE-hosted 2019 Asian Cup.

First though the Argentine is tasked with winning the UAE’s last three 2018 World Cup qualifiers in the bleak hope that they can still make Russia.

Mahdi Ali quit the post in March after the UAE’s 2-0 defeat away to Australia left The Whites four points off a minimum required third-place finish with three games to go; away to Thailand on June, at home to Saudi Arabia on August 31 and away to Iraq on September 5

The UAE will now have to win all three matches and hope that one of the three teams above them — Japan, Saudi Arabia or Australia — slip up.

“It’s difficult,” Bauza said of qualification. “But mathematics still allow for it and for sure we will try to win.

“It doesn’t depend on the UAE national team’s results, but the results of other nations, but we will try to win three and then see.”

Bauza will view this as an opportunity to redeem himself after being sacked by Argentina in April.

He was only in charge of the Albiceleste for eight games but left them fifth in their World Cup qualifying group, one point off automatic qualification with four games to go.

“That’s in the past now,” said the two-time Copa Libertadores winning coach. “You know when a new president comes in and you were hired by the old president that you are finished.

“It was a beautiful experience with Argentina but that’s over now. I had five other possibilities but chose this one because of the challenge.

“It’s a personal challenge for me because we are all on the same track, the UAE FA president [Marwan Bin Ghalita] is not only thinking about the next three games coming, but he’s also thinking about the long-term project and that’s the same thing I have on my mind.

“My main goal is to start work as soon as possible and start a project not just for two years, but I also feel it’s possible to start a long-term project because we are all thinking the same, myself and the president.”

Bauza doesn’t speak English, and his only previous experience in the region was four months spent managing Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr back in 2009. Despite that he’s confident of getting off to a good start in his first competitive game away to Thailand on June 13.

“I knew of the UAE team anyway, but now I have got a deeper knowledge of them from watching their last three World Cup qualifiers. From now on we will start working to improve the situation.”

Bauza wasn’t the UAE’s first choice. They had also been in negotiations with Colombian coach Reinaldo Rueda who led Ecuador and Honduras to the last two World Cups, however Rueda reportedly couldn’t agree to an immediate start date due to commitments with his current club side Atletico Nacional of Colombia.

Bauza’s appointment comes just days after his compatriot and former Argentina teammate Diego Maradona was named coach of UAE second division side Fujairah.