2014–15 UAE Pro League explained

Season:2014–15
Winners:Al-Ain (12th title)
League Topscorer:Mirko Vučinić
(25 goals)
Biggest Home Win:Al Ain 7–1 Ajman
Biggest Away Win:Fujairah 0–7 Baniyas
Highest Scoring:Al Ain 7–1 Ajman
Matches:182
Total Goals:562
Average Goals:3.09
Longest Wins:Al Jazira (5 matches)
Longest Unbeaten:Al Ain (12 matches)
Longest Winless:Ajman (14 matches)
Longest Losses:Kalba (9 matches)
Average Attendance:2,529
Nextseason:2015–16

The 2014–15 UAE Pro League, known as the Arabian Gulf League for sponsorship reasons,[1] was the 40th top-level football season in the United Arab Emirates. Fourteen teams participated with Al Ahli as the defending champions after securing the championship last season for the first time since the 2008–09 campaign.

The league was started on 15 September 2014 and was concluded on 15 May 2015.[2]

Teams

Al Shaab and Dubai Club were relegated to the second tier being replaced by Ittihad Kalba and Fujairah who were both relegated in the 2012–13 campaign.[3]

Stadia and locations

TeamHome cityEmirateManagerStadiumCapacity
AjmanAjmanAjman Manuel CajudaAjman Stadium5,537
Al AhliDubaiDubai Cosmin OlăroiuRashed Stadium9,415
Al AinAl AinAbu Dhabi Zlatko DalićHazza Bin Zayed Stadium25,000
Al DhafraMadinat ZayedAbu Dhabi Laurent BanideAl Dhafra Stadium5,020
Al JaziraAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi Eric GeretsAl Jazira Stadium42,056
Al NasrDubaiDubai Ivan JovanovićAl-Maktoum Stadium10,954
Al ShababDubaiDubai Caio JúniorRashid Al Maktoum Stadium8,011
Al WahdaAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi Sami Al-JaberAl-Nahyan Stadium11,538
Al WaslDubaiDubai Gabriel CalderonZabeel Stadium8,411
BaniyasAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi Luis García PlazaBaniyas Stadium9,047
EmiratesRas al-KhaimahRas al-KhaimahEmirates Club Stadium5,020
FujairahFujairahFujairah Ivan HašekFujairah Club Stadium5,020
Ittihad KalbaKalbaSharjah Walid Obaid Al-BalooshiIttihad Kalba Stadium3,000
SharjahSharjahSharjah Paulo BonamigoSharjah Stadium10,082

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointment
Al Jazira Walter ZengaSacked[4] Pre-season 14 May 2014 Eric Gerets[5] 20 May 2014
Al ShababMutual consent 23 May 2014 Caio Júnior[6] 23 May 2014
Baniyas Adnan Hamad1 July 2014 Luis García Plaza[7] 10 July 2014
Al Wasl Jorginho13th1 October 2014 Gabriel Calderón1 October 2014
Ajman Fathi Al-JabalSacked13th25 January 2015 Manuel Cajuda27 January 2015
Al Wahda José Peseiro[8] 4th10 February 201516 February 2015

Foreign players

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Player 4Former players
Ajman Rafael Crivellaro Ahmed Ibrahim Khalaf Boris Kabi Driss Fettouhi Karim Ziani
Bakari Koné
Al Ahli Éverton Ribeiro Luis Jiménez Oussama Assaidi Kwon Kyung-won Ciel
Grafite
Carlos Muñoz
Hugo Viana
Mirel Rădoi
Al Ain Jirès Kembo Ekoko Asamoah Gyan Miroslav Stoch Lee Myung-joo
Al Dhafra Humam Tariq Bilal El Najjarine Youssef Kaddioui Makhete Diop Matías Defederico
Diego Felipe
Paulinho Guerreiro
Al Jazira Manuel Lanzini Jucilei Jonathan Pitroipa Mirko Vučinić
Al Nasr Brett Holman Renan Garcia Ibrahima Touré Pablo Hernández Ivan Trichkovski
Al Shabab Edgar Carlos Villanueva Henrique Luvannor Azizbek Haydarov
Al Wahda Damián Díaz Sebastián Tagliabúe Hussain Fadhel Adil Hermach
Al Wasl Caio Canedo Éderson Fábio Lima Hugo Viana Neto Berola
Baniyas Denis Stracqualursi Ángel Dealbert Joan Verdú Carlos Muñoz
Kim Jung-woo
Emirates Alexandro Luiz Henrique Issam Erraki Sin Jin-ho Germán Herrera
Rodrigo Silva
Fujairah Karim Ziani Madjid Bougherra Boubacar Sanogo Hassan Maatouk Hassan Yebda
Ittihad Kalba Danilo Bueno Paulo Martins Said Fettah Papa Waigo Rafael
Luís Leal
Wael Ayan
Sharjah Marion Maurício Ramos Rodriguinho Wanderley Léo Lima
Luan

League table

Season statistics

Goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals[9]
1 Mirko VučinićAl Jazira25
2 Ibrahima TouréAl Nasr18
3 WanderleySharjah17
4 Ali MabkhoutAl Jazira16
4 CaioAl Wasl16
4 Fábio LimaAl Wasl16
5 Sebastián TagliabuéWahda15
6 ÉdersonAl Wasl14
7 Asamoah GyanAl Ain13
8 Makhete DiopDhafra12
9 Henrique LuvannorAl Shabab11

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date
Al Jazira Emirates 3–0[10]
Al Ahli Al Jazira 4–2
Al Jazira Ajman 3–1
Al Ain Fujairah 3–0

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UAE Pro League - Home .
  2. Web site: 2014/15 Season Schedule confirmed . 19 May 2014 . Pro League Committee . 19 May 2014.
  3. Web site: Arabian Gulf League 2014/2015. Soccerway. Perform. 13 August 2014.
  4. Web site: Al Jazira dismiss Walter Zenga after seven months. The National. 14 May 2014 . 14 May 2014.
  5. Web site: Al Jazira confirm Eric Gerets as new coach to replace Walter Zenga. The National. 20 May 2014. 20 May 2014.
  6. Web site: Coach Marcos Paqueta is the fall guy for Al Shabab's wobbles. The National. 23 May 2014 . 23 May 2014.
  7. Web site: Baniyas reach agreement with new manager Luis Garcia. The National. 10 July 2014 . 10 July 2014.
  8. Web site: Al Wahda dismiss manager Jose Peseiro after poor results. The National. 10 February 2015 . 15 February 2015.
  9. Web site: Summary - Arabian Gulf League - United Arab Emirates - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway. 26 September 2014.
  10. Web site: Al Jazira vs. Emirates - 25 September 2014 - Soccerway. 26 September 2014.