Aussie Carle in for Basheer at Bani Yas
Furious Omani apparently demands Dh1.2m compensation over being sacked
Dubai: Bani Yas have replaced sacked Omani midfielder Fawzi Basheer with Australia’s Nicky Carle in a shock last minute reshuffle of their foreign players before the start of the season.
Carle, 30, joins on a year’s loan from Sydney FC, having made his name playing in England with Bristol City and Crystal Palace. Between spells at Australia’s Sydney Olympic, Marconi Stallions and Newcastle Jets, he was also with France’s Troyes and Turkey’s Glenclerbirligi.
The move has, however, left Basheer furious. He has apparently turned down a Dh350,000 compensation package and instead demanded Dh1.2 million for being released at a time when all other UAE clubs have filled their foreign player allocations.
“I may not be able to find a club at this time of the season and therefore I cannot accept what they have offered,” Basheer told Arabic press. “I was really hurt when I heard [my contract] was terminated.”
“If the coach [Josef Chovanec] wasn’t satisfied with my performance he should have spoken to me and also told the management to take a decision earlier, instead of leaving me out in the cold at the last moment.
“I was surprised when I was told of the termination. And I wouldn’t have pressed for compensation had they dealt with this issue earlier and given me enough time to negotiate with other clubs.”
Carle said of his loan move: “I’m not that old but I am getting to the point where an opportunity like this won’t come along too often and I just felt I had to take it.
“Obviously from a family point of view, and a financial point of view, it’s a great opportunity. Hopefully I’ll be back in a year to start all over again, that’s the plan. But with football you never really know what’s around the corner.”
Brisbane Roar’s Erik Paartalu has emerged as another target Bani Yas were pursuing. Paartalu, who has played in the Scottish leagues with Gretna, Stirling Albion and Greenock Morton, said: “They obviously changed their mind in the type of player they wanted and Nick Carle is their choice — that happens in football.
“Now I just want to concentrate on my football here. The past few weeks have been a bit distracting in terms of the effect it has had on my football.”
