Most clubs fill quota of foreign players

Most of the UAE's first division clubs have signed with their professional players for the coming season which kicks off on Wednesday, except for two clubs.

Al Nasr and Al Khaleej are still trying new players and negotiations are on with agents and players' managers for recruiting the best players according to their teams' needs.

Some coaches said that they were not in a hurry and would play in the FA cup with one professional player or even without them.

While ten clubs have already signed with two foreign professionals as per the provision of the UAE Football Association, Al Wahda, the league winners, and Al Ain, the President's Cup champions were permitted to recruit three foreigners, in accordance with the Asian Football Confederation rules, since the clubs are to take part in the Asian tournaments.

Ten of the professional players had their contracts renewed for the coming season. In the last season, professionals from 18 countries played for UAE clubs in the domestic, continental and regional tournaments.

Morocco had the highest number of seven players. Iran, Brazil, Ivory Coast two each, while Libya, Iraq, Togo, Ghana, Burundi, Qatar, Siera Leone, Nigeria, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Holland, Senegal, Croatia, Congo had one player each.

Ali Karimi, the gifted Iranian player, topped the list of the new comers to the UAE league. Karimi who is now playing with Iran in the World Cup qualifiers, signed a two years contract for one million dollar with Al Ahli.

Karimi played last season with Pirozi club of Tehran and will join his new club on October 20 after the end of World Cup qualifiers, according to Al Ahli club.

The second big name which joined the UAE football was Chilean Cristian Montecinos who signed a one year contract with Al Wasl. Montecinos played with Chile in the Copa America held in Colombia last July. Some sources reported the one year contract cost the Dubai-based club a million dollars.

Another Iranian who will play in the coming season is midfielder Sattar Hamadani who will sign with Al Nasr after Czech coach Milan Macala said that he want him. Al Nasr are looking for an Iranian striker. Rasoul Khatibi of Pas Club of Iran arrived yesterday and trained last night with Al Nasr.

Macala decide after putting him under several trials in training sessions.

Al Nasr also were looking for Iranian striker Ali Mussawi of Tehran's Estighlal club, but some Iranian sources claimed that his coach in Estighlal want him to stay to play with them in the Asian clubs championship because he is the only striker left with the team following the departure of four of their players who have joined foreign clubs.

The other foreigners who have joined UAE clubs are Hussain Amoota of Morocco (Sharjah), Joao Elias of Angola (Al Shabab), Emannuel Kuffor of Ghana (Al Ain), Fawzi Al Ruwaisi of Tunisia (Al Wahda) and Jozeph Debbah of Liberia (Al Jazira).

Some of the foreign players who sought an inter-club transfers are Rasheed Dawoody from Al Wasl to Al Ain, Ibrahim Traori from Al Zaid (second division) to Baniyas and Moloudi Mozakkar from Ahli Fujairah to Al Shaab.

Those who renewed their contracts are, Moroccan Rasheed bin Mahmood (Al Ahli). Farhad Majiedi from Iran (Al Wasl), Brazilian Nelson (Al Shabab), Joel Tiehi from Ivory Coast (Al Ain), Qatari Mohammed Al Ennazy and Mohammed Conti from Siera Leone (Al Wahda).

Others are Nigerian Emannuel Abedi (Al Jazira), Senegalese Sheikh Daioob (Al Shaab), Iraqi Qahttan Jithayer and Croatian Drajan Skokovic (Al Ittihad), Abdullah Traori from Burkina Faso (Baniyas) and Iraqi Razaq Farhan (Sharjah).