Disruption is inevitable, Al Ain's chief says
On-loan Gyan not to be among departures
Al Ain: Summer disruption is an inevitability for the newly crowned Etisalat Pro League champions Al Ain, according to their CEO Carlo Nohra who admitted he couldn't be 100 per cent certain of on-loan Asamoah Gyan's signing until he sees it on the dotted line himself.
The Garden City club confirmed an historic tenth league title on Friday with a Yassir Al Qah'tani inspired 2-0 victory over defending champions Al Jazira at the Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Stadium. But as to whether the crux of this championship winning side can now stay together, especially after coach Cosmin Olaroiu's rumoured return to Al Hilal, remains to be seen.
Nohra told Gulf News: "Based on the way they played together this season. We want to keep our entire squad together, not just the four foreign professionals of Asamoah Gyan, Ignaccio Scocco, Mirel Radoi and Yassir Al Qah'tani. We don't want to see any disruptions but in some ways disruption may well be inevitable and we'll have to deal with that when it comes to it.
Formalities
"As always, we are aiming to win every competition we enter next season and we expect the Asian Champions League to be a difficult proposition. Saying that, we've won it before [2003] and there's no reason why we can't win it again. Our aspiration is to sit atop of Asia again."
Speaking of Asamoah Gyan, whose loan period from Sunderland ends on June 30, Nohra said: "Everyone knows he's on a loan agreement with an option to buy. We've made it clear we want to keep him and he's made it clear he wants to stay. Now it's just a case of completing formalities with Sunderland. As with any transfer, I'm hopeful, but wont be 100 per cent confident until I see his signature on the dotted line."
Nohra added: "Gyan has been instrumental this season. Every player contributed in their own way but what we expected of him was high and he duly delivered. We'd like to keep him and we expect much more from him next season."
Gyan, who is the league's top scorer with 17 from 15 league matches, plus an extra three goals in five Etisalat Cup matches and two in two Presidents Cup performances, said: "On June 30 I will know when my loan finishes but I don't know anything before that. I'm happy to be an Al Ain player. I'm very happy to be here."
