Which AGL team should you support?

Barnaby Read 11:33 07/10/2016
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  • Which club will you end up supporting?

    So you love your football and have just touched down in Dubai or have been here a while and after flirting with the UAE’s Arabian Gulf League you’re ready to make a commitment.

    But which AGL team should you take up? Which ground should become your second home and who will fill you with joy or heartbreak?

    We know it’s a tough choice, which is why we have put together this list of clubs in the UAE will suit your needs.

    And we also want to hear from you. Tells us which club’s shirt you’ve bought and whose flag you fly by commenting below, using #360fans on Twitter or getting in touch via Facebook.

    First of all, take our personality quiz that will help shape your decision…

    But that’s not enough, let us tell you a little more about the clubs and what you’ll get in return for a lifetime of loyalty…

    THE GUARANTEED GLORY – Al Ahli, Al Ain

    On recent history, there are just two teams to follow if you’re looking for AGL and continental glory, an annual confetti shower and the right results more often than not.

    Al Ahli and Al Ain are the two behemoths of UAE football. They boast the best local talent, generally spend heavily on bringing prime foreign players to the country and between them they have won the last five league titles.

    Yes the rest of the league is improving and looking to catch up, but Al Ahli and Al Ain don’t look like relinquishing their places at the top table any time soon.

    Another bonus is that both sides are sponsored by Nike and their kits readily available in stores. Who wouldn’t want an Omar Abdulrahman or Ahmed Khalil replica shirt?

    A BIT LIKE SUPPORTING: Barcelona or Real Madrid

    THE SLEEPING GIANTS – Al Wasl, Sharjah

    It may be far-fetched to think they will awaken in your lifetime but you can harp on about past successes and ‘the good old days’.

    Only Al Ain [12] have won more league trophies than Wasl [seven], who have as many as Al Ahli and are a notch above Sharjah’s five.

    Wasl are famed for the time Diego Maradona took charge of the club and in recent years they have shown signs of improvement and stability; the previous regime’s history of sacking managers and overturning players with alarming regularity was notorious.

    As for Sharjah, they remain a work in progress but if you live in Dubai’s northern neighbour out that way and are looking for some regular football to take in then why look elsewhere?

    A BIT LIKE SUPPORTING: Liverpool or Manchester United

    THE CONTROVERSIAL ENTERTAINERS

    Al Nasr, Al Jazira

    Okay, so you may be consistently let down by moments of daring promise being immediately followed by dire performances and bizarre decision making, but hey there will never be a dull moment.

    Nasr were summed up perfectly by the clinical, yet somewhat manic Ibrahima Toure [handstands and all], and looked like genuine domestic and Asian challengers this year until they undid it all with the botched attempt at passing new Brazilian striker Wanderley off as possessing an Indonesian passport.

    But Jazira are the true men of madness.

    Never short of a few quid, they will churn out big names and will score goals at will. Unfortunately, they will also ship as many, if not more, making their matches highly entertaining but equally frustrating for their fans.

    A BIT LIKE SUPPORTING: Napoli, Bayer Leverkusen

    THE MODELS OF CONSISTENCY

    Bani Yas, Al Wahda,

    Maybe this isn’t the greatest tag if you’re searching for some trophies to brag about to your mates, but you are guaranteed safety and a battle among the ‘best of the rest’ in the league.

    Bani may not have hit the heights expected of them in recent times but they are always a willing club.

    As for Wahda, we dare you not to fall in love with Sebastian Tagbliabue and you have a club legend laying in waiting for you to adore.

    Wahda consistently vie for second, third and fourth and you never know, one of these days they may just put a season together that sees them upset the establishment.

    A BIT LIKE SUPPORTING: Everton, Fiorentina

    THE UNDERDOGS

    Dibba Al Fujairah, Hatta, Al Dhafra

    If all that success, past or present, just isn’t your cup of tea and the idea of turning over the big boys is far more appealing then look no further than this trio.

    Times will be tough but along the course of the season there are some serious highs that will punctuate those all too common lows.

    Dibba surprised everyone last year, something Hatta will be looking to replicate this time round, while Dhafra should generally have enough about them to remain in the top tier.

    After all, life doesn’t always smell of roses.

    A BIT LIKE SUPPORTING: Eibar, Sassuolo

    THE YO-YOS

    Ittihad Kalba, Emirates Club, Al Shabab

    Yeah, relegation is a real possibility, but you know your team has it cut out to bounce right back.

    You probably don’t like all the riches and prima donnas that litter modern football anyway and in the First Division there are plenty of chances to expand your knowledge of the league.

    This is proper, backs-against-the-wall stuff and you are likely to tear your hair out at times.

    But next season, you’ll sweep all before you and get a crucial 12 months of respite in the process as you prepare to be put through the mill once again.

    A BIT LIKE SUPPORTING: Burnley, Hull

    Have you taken that quiz yet? It really will help make that decision…

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