DUBAI // Al Wasl have dismissed Jorginho, their Brazilian coach, after the club’s poor start to the season.
The World Cup winner, given a one-year contract in April although he did not officially take the reins until June, has endured a difficult first few months at the Zabeel Stadium.
Wasl have played six competitive matches – five in the Arabian Gulf League and one in the Arabian Gulf Cup – winning once. Wasl currently sit 10th in the league table.
The club are expected to announce their new coach today. He will be Wasl’s 14th coach since they won the league and President’s Cup double in 2006/07.
Among coaches thought to be in the running for the job are the former Al Jazira coach Walter Zenga, former Al Ain coach Winfried Schafer and Gabriel Calderon, previously of Baniyas and Real Betis.
Jorginho's final game in charge was last Friday's 3-0 cup defeat to Al Shabab. Immediately following the fixture, he asked for patience, citing a vastly remodelled squad that remains in transition. This summer, Wasl signed 14 players.
“As long as the management wants me, I am here,” Jorginho said. “We have good players, but we need time to do well because we are a new team.
“I know sometimes in football there is no patience to wait, but this is something we need. If the management gives us time, are patient, I am confident we will get the results.”
However, Jorginho was not provided the time to turn around his side’s fortunes. It was believed Wasl would allow their coach the opportunity to improve results, with Majed Obaidallah, the team manager, telling The National earlier this month: “We need to have a settled period, sit down and give him time to work. He’s already making his case here so he needs patience.”
In the recent past, patience has been in short supply at the seven-time UAE champions. Albeit under a different club board last season, Wasl employed three managers: Laurent Banide, Hector Cuper and Saleem Abdelrahman.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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