Football: Petrescu hopes to turn the corner for Al Nasr

Dubai - The former Romanian international who also had a fruitful career in English football with Chelsea, Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City

New Al Nasr coach Dan Petrescu is hoping he can help the club turn the corner, starting with his first game in charge against Dibba.
The former Romanian international who also had a fruitful career in English football with Chelsea, Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City, was installed as the new managed at the Al Maktoum Stadium, after Serbian Ivan Jovanovic was axed following a poor run of results.
Petrescu, who arrived in Dubai on Sunday, was officially unveiled at the Al Maktoum Stadium on Tuesday.
The 48-year-old, who has also coached back home in his native Romania as well as Russia, Poland and China, didn't spell out his targets but said that his main priority at the moment was the first game against Dibba at the Al Maktoum Stadium Thursday night.
"I'm happy to be here," Petrescu said on Tuesday.
"Of course, the club has had some problems. Hopefully, I can help the players and the club and I hope I can get the results that everyone wants. I gave it my best as a player and it is the same for me as a coach, which is to give my best for this team and win games for the club," he added.
Al Nasr are the midst of a terrible run, losing four League games, which forced the club to part ways with Jovanovic.
Petrescu was aware of the pressure but said that some good results can turn things around.
"The coach who was here did a fantastic job and it is not easy to replace a coach who did well for Al Nasr. I know that there will be pressure in every game and I have to try and deal with that and get some good results. When you lose four games, there are problems. But I believe that Al Nasr can come back from this," said Petrescu.
Under Jovanovic, Al Nasr ended a 25-year-old wait for a trophy by winning the GCC Champions League in 2014 as well as the Arabian Gulf Cup and the President's Cup double last year.
They had also entered the quarterfinal of the AFC Champions League for the first time and were on course to reaching the semifinal. But they had to forfeit the 3-0 result against Qatar's El Jaish after the AFC found that Wanderley, signed during the summer, had "forged or falsified" his Indonesian passport.
Petrescu has knowledge about the League, during his visits here for holiday and also through his friends - former Al Nasr coaches Walter Zenga and Jovanovic, as well as Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu.
"My first choice of holiday has always been Dubai and I have visited Dubai many times. I have some good friends here in Walter Zenga and the ex-coach of Al Nasr Ivan Jovanovic. So, whenever I had a chance, I watched Al Nasr's games," he said.
"I know Cosmin and he had told me a few things about the League here and about the local and foreign players. It is a good and strong League and I know that there are teams which are always fighting for the League, like Al Ain and Al Ahli. And I hope that Al Nasr can start doing that too. I hope we can be one of the big teams.
"So, hopefully I can change things as soon as possible. But the most important thing is the first match. Now, the team has had four losses and the coach is gone. At the same time, there are a few injury worries. So, I don't want to have any big targets. It is the first match I'm looking at," added Petrescu.
james@khaleejtimes.com