Dubai: Gabriel Calderon has replaced Jorginho as coach of Al Wasl, it was confirmed on Tuesday.

Brazil’s Jorginho, 50, a 1994 World Cup-winning defender, was sacked after managing just one win from six matches in charge, having only joined the club in April.

Calderon, 54, a former midfielder who reached the final of the 1990 World Cup with Argentina, has signed a one-season contract and is the club’s tenth coach in the last four years. He reportedly beat former Al Jazira coach Walter Zenga and ex-Al Ain boss Winfried Schaefer to the post.

Al Wasl CEO Ashraf Ahmad Mohammad said the Argentinian’s experience in the region, having managed six GCC clubs and national teams, including UAE side Bani Yas, had proved pivotal.

“He has experience in the region and has been around, this is not his first experience in the Gulf,” he said.

“You need someone like this, it’s better than bringing someone who hasn’t got knowledge of the league, thinks it’s weak and comes here and gets surprised,” Mohammad added in an obvious slight against Jorginho, who hadn’t previously managed in the Middle East. “I prefer getting someone with experience and my board are very wise when it comes to that.”

Asked if Jorginho could have been given longer to turn things around, Mohammad replied: “Sometimes you have to judge a book by its cover. Al Wasl cannot be an experimental side, it’s a team where the people are not patient and they need stability.”

Calderon has twice won the Saudi Premier League, with Al Ittihad in 2009 and Al Hilal in 2011, as well as the Kings Cup of Champions with Al Ittihad in 2010 and the Crown Prince Cup with Al Hilal in 2011.

The Cheetahs are currently tenth in the 14-team Arabian Gulf League with just five points from five games.

Jorginho is the second coach to be sacked this season after Al Dhafra replaced Bosnian Anel Karabeg with Romanian Marion Ion earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Bani Yas are on the verge of signing Argentinian striker Denis Stracqualursi to replace Al Ahli-bound Chilean forward Carlos Munoz.

Pending a medical on Thursday, Stracqualursi, 26, will join from Ecuador’s Emelec, but he is most famous for a year-long loan spell at English Premier League side Everton in 2011. He has also played for Argentinian clubs Sunchales, Gimnasia, Tigre and San Lorenzo.

Stracqualursi will complete the club’s foreign quartet alongside Spanish duo Joan Verdu and Angel Dealbert and South Korea’s Kim Jung-woo.