Who will be left standing? Past winners Arabian Gulf league roll of honour:

Top Stories

Who will be left standing? Past winners Arabian Gulf league roll of honour:

The Boss' are entering a new era after Asamoah Gyan's departure and early questions marks on how their new signings will cope were put to bed when the Garden City club won the traditional season-opener, the Arabian Gulf Super Cup.

By James Jose

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Wed 19 Aug 2015, 9:25 PM

Another season is set to roll in the UAE top flight and hopes and dreams are plenty. Most of the 14 clubs have invested heavily on new players during the summer transfer window and it would be interesting to see which one of them will be left standing at the back end of 182 Arabian Gulf League fixtures.
On early evidence, Al Ain are looking right on the money on a title defence. 'The Boss' are entering a new era after Asamoah Gyan's departure and early questions marks on how their new signings will cope were put to bed when the Garden City club won the traditional season-opener, the Arabian Gulf Super Cup.
And now that coach Zlatko Dalic has exorcised the demons, the Croatian can go about his job unperturbed. He will be counting on his talisman Omar Abdulrahman, a largely peripheral figure last season because of injuries, to weave his magic across the 14 pristine football pitches across the UAE.
Nigerian international Emmanuel Emenike was impressive in his first run out for his new club and the Fenerbahce loanee will lead Al Ain's strike force. Brazilian playmaker Fellipe Bastos too has settled in well but former Ajax and Liverpool winger Ryan Babel, despite a selfless assist for Al Ain's opening goal in the Super Cup, may have to step it up a notch.
The defence is solid under Mohanad Salem, Ismail Ahmed, Mohammed Fayez and Mohammed Fawzi. It is work in progress but Al Ain have shown intent and look dangerous yet again. Al Ain could yet boss this one and stretch their record to 13.
The lead chasing pack could be Al Jazira, Al Wahda, Al Nasr and Bani Yas though one can never count out the League's 'Galacticos' Al Ahli apart from Al Wasl and Al Shabab.
Al Jazira have pressed the rewind button and had flashbacks of their double-winning 2011 season. Abel Braga was just a phone call away and the Pride of Abu Dhabi have probably made the right call in reuniting with their title-winning coach.
Perhaps, Al Jazira were a little too serious when they were almost there or thereabouts to claiming the League. But Braga has already managed to bring a few smiles back. The club like him, the players like him. Al Jazira resembled one happy family on their pre-season camp in Austria and are raring to go. A commanding figure, Braga will make winning a happy habit.
They have retained last season's top scorer Montenegro international Mirko Vucinic and brought in Peruvian international Jefferson Farfan, Brazilian playmaker Thiago Neves and South Korean midfielder Park Jong-woo. And with Emirati ace Ali Ahmed Mabkhout, Al Jazira could bring the Pride back to Abu Dhabi.
After a season of stability last term, Al Wahda have gone in for an overhaul with a new coach and have made the biggest signing of the summer. The Clarets have managed to prise Chilean international and former Al Ain playmaker Jorge Valdivia.
They have also brought in former Arsenal midfielder Denilson. With the retained Argentine Sebastian Tagliabue as well as the local talent that they possess, Al Wahda, under Mexican manager Javier Aguirre, who has coached Mexico and Japan and the likes of Atletico Madrid, Espanyol, Osasuna, Zaragoza in the La Liga, look strong to win their first League title since 2009-10.
Al Nasr could be the dark horse, having signed Luis Antonio Jimenez from Al Ahli, Jonathan Pitroipa from Al Jazira, Jires Kembo-Ekoko from Al Ain as well as Brazilian Nilmar.
EMIRATI PLAYERS TO WATCH

 


 
FOREIGN PLAYERS TO WATCH

 

 

KT design by Roberto Canseco
james@khaleejtimes.com 

ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE


1973/1974
Al Sharjah

1981/1982 Al Wasl


1989/1990 Al Shabab

1997/1998 Al Ain

2005/2006 Al Ahli

1975/1976 Al Ahli

1983/1984 Al Ain

1991/1992 Al Wasl

1999/2000 Al Ain

2007/2008 Al Shabab

1977/1978 Al Nasr

1985/1986 Al Nasr

1993/1994 Al Sharjah

2001/2002 Al Ain

2009/2010 Al Wahda

1979/1980 Al Ahli

1987/1988 Al Wasl

1995/1996 Al Sharjah

2003/2004 Al Ain

2011/2012 Al Ain

2013/2014 Al Ahli

1974/1975 Al Ahli

1986/1987 Al Sharjah

1998/1999 Al Wahda

1980/1981 Al Ain

1992/1993 Al Ain

2004/2005 Al Wahda

1976/1977 Al Ain

1988/1989 Al Sharjah

2000/2001 Al Wahda

1982/1983 Al Wasl

1994/1995 Al Shabab

2006/2007 Al Wasl

2010/2011 Al Jazira

1978/1979 Al Nasr

1990/1991 Competition stopped

2002/2003 Al Ain

1984/1985 Al Wasl

1996/1997 Al Wasl

2008/2009 Al Ahli

2012/2013 Al Ain

2014/15 Al Ain

Al Wasl

Al Ahli

Al Sharjah

Al Wahda

Al Shabab

Al Nasr

Al Jazira

7

6

5

4

3

3

3

Al Ain

12

cosmin olaroiu
Al Ahli coach

We have to concentrate for the first game against Fujairah. It's not easy. We had difficult games with them last season

Javier Aguirre
Al Wahda coach

I spoke to Valdivia and briefed him about my plans. We are on track and he is feeling fresh after a good break. But we cannot rush him in straight away and I'm also in no hurry

KT Design by Roberto Canseco


More news from