2013–14 UAE Pro League explained

Season:2013–14
Winners:Al-Ahli
Relegated:Dubai
Al-Shaab
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Al-Ahli
Al-Wahda
Al-Jazira
Al-Ain
Continentalcup2:Gulf Champions League
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Al-Nasr
Al-Shabab
League Topscorer:Asamoah Gyan (29)
League Assist:Omar Abdulrahman (16)
Matches:182
Total Goals:571
Average Goals:3.13
Nextseason:2014–15

The 2013–14 UAE Pro League, known as the Arabian Gulf League for sponsorship reasons,[1] is the 39th top-level football season in the United Arab Emirates, and the sixth professional season. Fourteen teams participate, once again with Al Ain as the defending champions after winning the previous two seasons.

The league started on 14 September and finished on 11 May 2014 in accordance with FIFA guidelines ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.[2]

The league was previously known as the Pro League. Starting from the 2013–14 season the name was changed to UAE Arabian Gulf League.[3] The name change has been viewed as a revival of the Persian Gulf naming dispute[4] with Iran accusing the United Arab Emirates of racism,[5] [6] and the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran barring the transfer of Javad Nekounam to a UAE club.[7]

Teams

Stadia and locations

TeamHome cityManagerStadiumCapacity
AjmanAjman Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader[8] Ajman Stadium10,000
Al AhliDubai Cosmin OlăroiuRashed Stadium18,000
Al AinAl Ain Quique Sánchez FloresTahnoun Bin Mohamed Stadium
Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium
15,000
25,000
Al DhafraMadinat Zayed Abdullah MesferHamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium12,000
Al JaziraAbu Dhabi Walter ZengaAl Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium42,056
Al NasrDubai Ivan Jovanović[9] Al-Maktoum Stadium12,000
Al ShaabSharjahKhalid Bin Mohammed Stadium10,000
Al ShababDubai Marcos PaquetáMaktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium12,000
Al WahdaAbu Dhabi José PeseiroAl-Nahyan Stadium12,000
Al WaslDubai Saleem AbdelrahmanZabeel Stadium12,000
BaniyasAbu Dhabi Adnan HamadBani Yas Stadium9,570
DubaiDubai Umberto BarberisPolice Officers Club Stadium6,500
EmiratesRas al-KhaimahEmirates Club Stadium5,000
SharjahSharjah Paulo Bonamigo[10] Sharjah Stadium18,000

Managerial changes

Managerial changes during the 2013-14 campaign.

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureReplaced by
Al Wahda Josef HickersbergerEnd of contract Karel Jarolim[12]
Al Ahli Quique Sánchez Flores[13] End of contract Cosmin Olăroiu[14]
Al Nasr Walter Zenga[15] Mutual consent Ivan Jovanović[16]
Baniyas Salem Al Orafi[17] End of contract Jorge da Silva[18]
Dubai René MarsigliaEnd of contract Martin Rueda[19]
Al Wasl Eid BarootEnd of contract Laurent Banide[20]
Al Ain Cosmin OlăroiuSigned by Al Ahli Jorge Fossati[21]
Al Ain Jorge FossatiSacked Ahmed Abdullah[22]
Al Wasl Laurent Banide[23] Sacked
Al JaziraSacked Walter Zenga[24]
Al Ain Ahmed AbdullahTemporary mandate over
Dubai Martin RuedaSacked[25]
Al Wahda Karel JarolimSacked[26] José Peseiro[27]
Emirates Eid BarootSacked[28] Paulo Comelli[29]
Al Shaab Marius ȘumudicăSacked[30] Jamsheer Muratocalo
Al Shaab Jamsheer MuratocaloCaretaker role finished[31] Željko Petrović
Baniyas Jorge da SilvaSacked Adnan Hamad
Al WaslSacked

Foreign players

The number of foreign players is restricted to four per AGL team.

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Player 4Former players
Ajman Simon Feindouno Ahmed Ibrahim Khalaf Bakari Koné Boris Kabi Yousef Nasser
Driss Fettouhi
Al Ahli Ciel Grafite Luis Jiménez Hugo Viana
Al Ain Alex Brosque Yassine El Ghanassy Asamoah Gyan Mirel Rădoi Michel Bastos
Jirès Kembo Ekoko
Al Dhafra Rogério Bilal El Najjarine Kamel Chafni Makhete Diop Emmanuel Clottey
Al Jazira Jucilei Felipe Caicedo Abdelaziz Barrada Shin Hyung-min Ricardo Oliveira
Nelson Valdez
Al Nasr Brett Holman Éder Luís Léo Lima Ibrahima Touré
Al Shaab Josimar Lima Michaël N'dri Oybek Kilichev Jesús Meza Billy Celeski
Thiago Quirino
Julius Wobay
Al Shabab Adeílson Edgar Carlos Villanueva Azizbek Haydarov Éder Lima
Al Wahda Damián Díaz Sebastián Tagliabúe Hussain Fadhel Adil Hermach Dino Djulbic
Marco Estrada
Al Wasl Emmanuel Culio Mariano Donda Ricardo Oliveira Edson Puch Milan Susak
Abdelfettah Boukhriss
André Senghor
Baniyas Luis Fariña Sebastián Prediger Carlos Muñoz Abdul Salam Al-Mukhaini Marcelinho
Dubai Gilles Yapi Yapo Moustapha Kondé Salaheddine Saidi Jehad Al-Hussain André Alves
Bruno Correa
Dramane Traoré
Emirates Germán Herrera Derley Luiz Henrique Rodriguinho Diego Perão
Jair
Sharjah Fellype Gabriel Maurício Ramos Zé Carlos Kim Jung-woo

League table

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UAE Pro League - Home .
  2. Web site: New season to kick off on 30th August with Super Cup Final . 26 May 2013 . Pro League Committee . 21 June 2013.
  3. Web site: New League name announced by H.E. Mohammed Thani Murshed Al Romaithi . 26 May 2013 . Pro League Committee . 26 May 2013.
  4. Web site: James M. Dorsey . MIDEAST - Gulf rivalry between Iran, UAE transferred to the football pitch . Hurriyetdailynews.com . 13 September 2011 . 23 September 2013.
  5. Web site: Category: Asia . Iran accuses UAE of racism in renaming Pro League to the Arabian Gulf League . Inside World Football . 29 May 2013 . 23 September 2013 . 27 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130927215226/http://www.insideworldfootball.com/world-football/asia/12613-iran-accuses-uae-of-racism-in-renaming-pro-league-to-the-arabian-gulf-league . dead .
  6. Web site: persiangulfstudies.com . Persian Gulf Studies Center . . 23 September 2013.
  7. Web site: Iran bars captain's UAE transfer over Gulf name . Fox News . 23 September 2013.
  8. Web site: Ajman coach Abdul Qader: Shock Etisalat Cup final win is just step 1.
  9. Web site: Arabian Gulf League: Al Nasr give Ivan Jovanovic carte blanche. John McAuley. 21 June 2013. The National. Abu Dhabi Media. 23 June 2013.
  10. Web site: Paulo Bonamigo's rebuilding job at Sharjah starts with Ze Carlos. 24 June 2013. The National. 24 June 2013.
  11. Web site: Quique Sanchez Flores wants Al Ain to be inspired at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. The National. 23 January 2014 . 23 January 2014.
  12. Web site: Pro League: Wahda announce Czech as new coach as Hickersbergers sees out draw with Jazira. The National. 26 May 2013 . 26 May 2013.
  13. Web site: Quique Flores leaves Al Ahli. Pro League. 26 May 2013 . 26 May 2013.
  14. Web site: Do not judge me, says Olaroiu after switch over from Al Ain to Al Ahli. The National. 15 July 2013 . 15 July 2013.
  15. Web site: Walter Zenga leaves Al Nasr by mutual consent. Pro League. 26 May 2013 . 26 May 2013.
  16. Web site: Al Nasr reach tentative agreement with new coach Ivan Jovanovic. Pro League. 26 May 2013 . 26 May 2013.
  17. Web site: Arabian Gulf League: Walter Zenga has a view to stick around. The National. 17 June 2013 . 17 June 2013.
  18. Web site: Arabian Gulf League: Jorge da Silva to bring winning ways to Baniyas. The National. 19 June 2013 . 20 June 2013.
  19. Web site: Swiss coach Martin Rueda takes over the helm at Dubai club. 4 July 2013. The National. Abu Dhabi Media. 4 July 2013.
  20. Web site: Pro League: Al Wasl unveil Laurent Banide as their new manager. John McAuley. 28 May 2013. The National. Abu Dhabi Media. 21 June 2013.
  21. Web site: Fossati Al Ain Manager Officially. The National. 25 July 2013 . 25 July 2013.
  22. Web site: Al Ain dismiss Fossati. Pro League Committee. 14 September 2013 . 14 September 2013.
  23. Web site: Laurent Banide dismissed as Al Wasl coach. UAE National Newspaper. 21 October 2013 . 21 October 2013.
  24. Web site: Walter Zenga replaces Milla at Al Jazira. UAE National Newspaper. 25 October 2013 . 25 October 2013.
  25. Web site: Dubai part ways with coach Martin Reuda. UAE National Newspaper. 4 November 2013. 4 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105000816/http://www.thenational.ae/sport/dubai/dubai-part-ways-with-coach-martin-reuda. 5 November 2013. dead.
  26. Web site: Karel Jarolim sacked as Al Wahda coach. The National. 9 November 2013 . 9 November 2013.
  27. Web site: Former Braga coach Jose Peseiro is Al Wahda's man. The National. 10 November 2013 . 10 November 2013.
  28. Web site: New coach Paulo Comelli intent on proving he is no 'tourist'. The National. 9 December 2013 . 9 December 2013.
  29. Web site: Emirates unveil new Head Coach Paulo Comelli. Pro League Committee. 9 December 2013 . 9 December 2013.
  30. Web site: Shaab coach sacked in seventh casualty of Arabian Gulf League this season. The National. 13 December 2013 . 13 December 2013.
  31. Web site: Al Shaab turn to Zeljko Petrovic to save Arabian Gulf League campaign. The National. 23 December 2013 . 23 December 2013.