Struggling Al Wahda use transfer window to axe all their foreigners

Dubai: Sharjah, Emirates and Hatta were the only clubs in the first division who kept their foreign players without changing them in the second registration period, which ended last Sunday.

The other nine clubs changed one or two players, while Al Wahda club changed all the three foreigners, following the weak form they showed which resulted in poor scores.

However, the poor form or bad results were not the main reason for changing foreign players.

Emirates club, who are currently at the bottom of the table, continued with their three Iranians - Rasoul Khatibi, Redha Enayati, Mehdi Rajab Zadeh - despite the bottom place they remained on for many weeks.

Al Nasr, second from bottom sacked two strikers from Brazil and Ivory Coast and replaced them with two Nigerians.

The Al Nasr supporters were not satisfied with the Nigerians' standards, but it's too late to change them again after the winter window was closed and they have to accept them (good or bad) until the end of the season.

Al Shabab, top of the table in the first division, signed Brazilian striker Fernando De Olivera last week in place of Iranian Mehrdad Oulady who was injured.

However, they changed the Brazilian with Colombian player David Rocu in the last day of registration. The club officials claimed that the Brazilianlacked fitness and needed more time to gain it.

Nashat Akram, the Iraqi midfielder who signed for Al Ain at the beginning of the season, was dismissed following his departure to England to sign for Manchester City but failed to get a work permit.

He said after returning from England that he will look to play for another club in Europe. Al Ain replaced him with Brazilian Pedro de Olivera.

French striker Gregory Du Frenice was one of the best strikers in the UAE when he used to play for Dubai club.

However, he failed to perform well and couldn't score goals when he played for Al Ahli after signing with them at the end of last season. They replaced him with Iranian striker Milad Midawdy.

The 36 players who play in the 12 first division clubs (three for each club), came from 14 countries - Brazil 11; Iran 10; two from Nigeria, Morocco, France; and one from Spain, Mali, Ivory Coast, Holland, Gambia, Colombia, Ghana, Congo, Iraq.

The new signings:

Al Wahda: Alexandr Barbosa, Juzil da Rosha, Binga (all Brazil). Al Nasr: Andorans Edahor, Goodwin Nedbisi (both Nigeria). Al Jazira: Mamado Dialo (Mali). Al Ahli: Milad Midawdy (Iran). Al Shaab: Adil Al Shazly (France). Al Dhafra: Abdol Idrisso (Ghana). Al Wasl: Rogero D'silva (Brazil). Al Ain: Pedro de Olivera (Brazil). Al Shabab: David Rocu (Colombia).

Several key foreign players kept their place with their clubs such as Anderson and Shojai (Sharjah), Assunsao (Al Ahli), Cocu and Tony (Al Jazira), Sofian Alloudy (Al Ain), Olivera (Al Wasl), Renato (Al Nasr), Madanchi and Samerah (Al Shaab), Eman Mob'ali (Al Shabab), Roger and Ahmada (Hatta).