2008–09 UAE Pro League explained

The 2008–09 UAE Pro League season was the 34th edition of top level football in the United Arab Emirates and started on 19 September 2008 until 24 May 2009.

Al-Ahli clinched the championship on the last day of the season, one of the most exciting campaigns for a number of years and also qualified for the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup as the host representative.

Al-Shabab were defending champions from the 2007–08 campaign.

Emirates and Hatta were relegated from the previous season.Ajman and Al-Khaleej were promoted from the second level.

The winners of the league qualified for the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup as the host representative.

Clubs

ClubCoachNationalityCityStadium2007–2008 seasonNotes
Al-ShababToninho CerezoDubaiAl Maktoum StadiumUAE League ChampionsAFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier
Al-JaziraAbel BragaAbu DhabiAl Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium2nd in UAE LeagueAFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier
Al-AhliIvan HašekDubaiRashed Stadium3rd in UAE LeagueAFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier
Al-SharjahYoussef Al ZawawiSharjahSharjah Stadium4th in UAE LeagueAFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier
Al-ShaabLuka PeruzovićSharjahKhalid Bin Mohammed Stadium5th in UAE League2008–09 Arab Champions League Qualifier - Later Withdrew
Al-AinWinfried SchäferAl AinSheikh Khalifa International Stadium6th in UAE League
Al-WaslMiroslav BeránekDubaiZabeel Stadium7th in UAE League
Al-WahdaAhmad AbdulhaleemAbu DhabiAl-Nahyan Stadium8th in UAE League
Al-NasrLuka BonačićDubaiAl-Maktoum Stadium9th in UAE League
Al-DhafraMohammad KwidDhafraAl Dhafra Stadium10th in UAE League
AjmanAbdul Wahab Abdul QaderAjmanAjman StadiumPromoted
Al-KhaleejSammir JuwailiKhor FakkanAl Baladi StadiumPromoted

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureReplaced by
Al-Wasl Miroslav BeranekSacked[1] Hélio dos Anjos
Al-Wahda Ahmad AbdulhaleemSacked[2] Josef Hickersberger
Al-Dhafra Mohammad KwidResigned[3] Eid Baroot
Al-Sharjah Youssef Al ZawawiResigned after 11 games[4] Toni Oliveira
Al-Wasl Hélio dos AnjosSacked Jaroslav Horák
Ajman Abdul Wahab Abdul QaderSacked [5]
Al-Sharjah Toni OliveiraSacked after 'poor results' [6] Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader
Al-Ahli Ivan HašekQuit after winning championship [7] [8] Ioan Andone

Foreign players

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Player 4Former players
Ajman Ali Samereh Javad Kazemian Abdelhaq Ait Laarif Mohamed Berrabeh
Al-Ahli Baré Clederson Osvaldo Milad Meydavoudi Jorge Artigas
Hosny Abd Rabo
Al-Ain André Dias Jorge Valdivia Soufiane Alloudi André Senghor
Al-Dhafra Toufik Zerara Mohamed Kader Mehdi Rajabzadeh
Rasoul Khatibi
Al-Jazira Fernando Baiano Márcio Rozário Rafael Sóbis Mohammed Ali Karim Mamadou Diallo
Al-Khaleej Mourad Rafal Rabii Houbri Abass Lawal Anis Boujelbene
Al-Nasr Claudinho Mehrzad Madanchi Mohammad Nosrati Reza Enayati Endurance Idahor
Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi
Al-Shaab Godwin Attram Merouane Zemmama
Al-Shabab Marcos Assunção Renato Abreu Mehrdad Oladi Mohamed Kallon
Al-Sharjah Anderson Barbosa Jean Roberto Lopes Hussein Alaa Hussein
Al-Wahda Pinga Ali Salah Hashim Amin Erbati Matar Coly Abdulla Al-Dakeel
Alecsandro
Karim Aouadhi
Al-Wasl Alexandre Oliveira Reiner Ferreira Iman Mobali Fabio Firmani Rogerinho
Zeka Goore

Standings

Top goalscorers

Source: goalzz.com

25 goals
13 goals
12 goals
11 goals
9 goals

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168165465.html Al Wasl sack Czech coach
  2. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168394797.html Austrian coach for faltering Wahda
  3. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168395426.html Kwid resigns
  4. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168526660.html Sharjah setback ahead of play-off
  5. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168690325.html Ajman replace coach
  6. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168690325.html Beleaguered Sharjah sack coach
  7. http://www.the-afc.com/eng/articles/viewArticle.jsp_168722446.html Hasek quits as Ahli coach
  8. http://www.the-afc.com/en/news-centre/member-association-news/279-ir-iran/24680-madanchi-joins-uae-champs-ahli Romanian Ioan Andone replaced Czech Ivan Hasek last month (June)