Former Italy coach Prandelli to manage Al Nasr

Dubai - The 59-year-old, who guided the Azzurri to a runners-up finish at Euro 2012, replaces Romanian Dan Petrescu

UAE football and the country's football league seems to be growing in stature with another big name adding to a bludgeoning list of big-name coaches.
After former Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza was installed as UAE manager and Argentine legend Diego Maradona taking over the reins of First Division side Fujairah, former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli is set to land on these shores.
The 59-year-old Prandelli, who guided the Azzurri to a runners-up finish at Euro 2012 and helped them qualify for the 2014 World Cup, is being lined up as the next manager of Dubai club Al Nasr.
Prandelli is expected to arrive in Dubai next week to put pen to paper to a deal.
"Negotiations have almost been completed and the club has reached an agreement with Prandelli. It is almost 95 percent done. He will arrive in Dubai next week to sign the contract. Prandelli will then be officially unveiled at a press conference," Mohamed Mubarak, Media Officer of Al Nasr, confirmed to the Khaleej Times on Saturday.
Prandelli will replace Romanian Dan Petrescu, whose seven-month contract came to an end with the season-ending President's Cup on Friday. Al Nasr, four-time winners of the prestigious Cup, finished runners-up after suffering a chastening 3-0 defeat at the hands of Abu Dhabi club Al Wahda.
The season may have just come to an end but the Blue Wave have wasted little time in appointing a new coach and Prandelli now has ample time to work his new wards, going into the new season.
Prandelli becomes the second Italian after former Azzuri goalkeeper Walter Zenga, to coach Al Nasr. Zenga was at the helm for two years from 2011 to 2013, during which he helped them finish second and sixth respectively.
Prandelli, a midfielder, spent six seasons with Serie A side Juventus, making 89 appearances for The Old Lady. He also plied his trade for Cremonese and Atalanta. Prandelli began his managerial career with Atalanta's youth side in 1990 before taking over as caretaker of the first team.
He also went on to manage Lecce, Verona, Venezia, Parma, Roma and Fiorentina. Prandelli was the Italy manager from 2010 to 2014 after which he went on to coach Turkish club Galatasaray. His last coaching job was with La Liga side Valencia which lasted 10 games. He resigned from the job last December and was a free agent for five months before Al Nasr came calling.
Al Nasr finished sixth in the Arabian Gulf League in the just concluded season. The last of their three League titles came way back in the 1985-86 season. Since then, they won the President's Cup and the Arabian Gulf Cup double in the 2014-15 season.
Petrescu coached Al Nasr in 27 matches across competitions, won 13, drew five and lost nine during a spell that lasted 203 days.
james@khaleejtimes.com