Al Jazira chairman targets glory next season

Abu Dhabi: Shaikh Mohammad Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Al Jazira Football Company, confirmed his club will aim to win all the competitions it enters next season after failing to win a single title in the recently-concluded campaign.

“Our objective is to become number one,” Shaikh Mohammad said. “We have faced some hurdles that prevented us from winning a single title last season. In particular, the fact that our new coach Luis Milla took over the team without any chance to make his changes in the style of performance as he planned.

“With only three or four days between domestic and continental matches, it was impossible for him to inject any reforms in the team in that situation.

“We opted to give him a chance in the new season, with enough time for him to prepare the team, as he had suggested in his technical report, which he gave us at the end of the season. We will do our best to provide, for him and for the team, all the facilities they need to prepare in the best way in order to achieve the club’s goals and objectives.”

Asked about why the club allowed captain Ebrahim Diaky to join Etisalat Pro-League champions Al Ain, Shaikh Mohammad said: “Diaky has played for nine years with the club and helped us to win six titles and played a big role in these achievements, but last season he added nothing and it was time for him to find other challenges.

“We thanked him and we wish him luck with Al Ain. His deal was good for all parties and the offer from Al Ain was better than that from Al Ahli, so he moved to Al Ain.”

Shaikh Mohammad also confirmed that the club has terminated the contracts of both Argentinian midfielder Matias Delgado and Brazilian striker Fernandinho.

“We are looking for replacements for both players for the new season and we have six nominees to choose from. They are all highly qualified to meet our expectations.”

Regarding other players who are rumoured to be on the way, Shaikh Mohammad said: “Subait Khater is still with our team and so is our young custodian Khalid Eisa, who is on a vacation outside the country. We do not release our players without the consent of the club and all the negotiations should be through the club’s management.

“We have only released Ahmad Dada to join Bani Yas in an exchange deal with Fareed Esmail, who is coming to strengthen the left side of our team. South Korean Shin Hyung-min is still with us and will feature in the new season.”

Regarding the offers that came in for UAE striker Ali Mabkhoot, Shaikh Mohammad said: “Ali is the only local striker in the last season who forced his way into his team against the foreign strikers.

“If he is approached by European clubs, we will not object and will give him the chance to improve there, but if it is from a club in the region then we will not release him because all the clubs in the region are of almost equal standards and he will not benefit technically from them.”