Sebastian Tagliabue and Al Ahli revel in Arabian Gulf League Awards success

Abu Dhabi: Sebastian Tagliabue, the Al Wahda striker, and the recently crowned Arabian Gulf League champions Al Ahli were the big winners at the annual AGL Awards on Sunday evening with two accolades apiece.

Tagliabue won the Top Goalscorer Award for the second season running after netting 25 times and was also named Foreign Player of the Year at a ceremony at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Al Ahli’s Cosmin Olaroiu and Majid Nasser claimed the Coach of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year honours.

Al Ahli, who clinched their seventh AGL crown earlier this month, also had five players named in the league’s Dream Team.

“I should have had all 11,” Olaroui told media afterwards. “Always I believe that my team is the best and I make them believe that, too. I’m very content that people appreciate our work and this award is a trophy for all my staff, not only for me, but for my players, for my colleagues – everyone deserved it.

“We try to improve day by day to be better and better. We hope we don’t stop here and we continue to get trophies and awards.”

“I am very happy and proud to be named the best foreign player as there are so many amazing foreign players here,” Tagliabue said.

There was also joy for the Argentine’s Al Wahda teammate, Mohammad Al Akberi, who secured the Under-21 Player of the Year Award, while Omar Abdul Rahman was an unsurprising winner of the Emirati Player of the Year gong.

The Pro League Committee later made the draw for 2016/17 AGL season and Arabian Gulf Cup at the ceremony, which was held under the patronage of Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and in the presence of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development.

Fantasy Football Manager of the Year

Essa Al Alili

Professional Club of the Year

Al Jazira

U21 League Top Scorer

Shaheen Surour (Al Jazira)

U21 Player of the Year

Mohammad Al Akberi (Al Wahda)

Arabian Gulf League Top Scorer

Sebastian Tagliabue (Al Wahda)

Fans' Player of the Year

Omar Khrbin (Al Dhafra)

Goalkeeper of the Year

Majid Nasser (Al Ahli)

Coach of the Year

Cosmin Olaroiu (Al Ahli)

Foreign Player of the Year

Sebastian Tagliabue (Al Wahda)

Emirati Player of the Year

Omar Abdul Rahman (Al Ain)

Best XI

Majid Nasser (Al Ahli); Ahmad Ebrahim Alyassi (Al Nasr), Esmail Ahmad (Al Ain), Kwon Kyung Won (Al Ahli), Mahmoud Khamis (Al Nasr); Khamis Esmail (Al Ahli), Majid Hassan (Al Ahli), Everton Ribeiro (Al Ahli), Omar Abdul Rahman (Al Ain); Ali Mabkhout (Al Jazira), Sebastian Tagliabue (Al Wahda).