Saeed signs new two-year Ahli deal

Jon Turner 09:58 10/04/2014
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  • Title challenge: Saeed (l) and Ahli need a solitary point tonight to secure the AGL title.

    Al Ahli defender Basheer Saeed hopes he has double reason to celebrate this week after signing a new contract the day before the Red Knights could wrap up the Arabian Gulf League title.

    Runaway leaders Ahli take on an Al Wasl side languishing in 11th place this evening knowing a draw will be enough to see them crowned champions for the first time since 2009.

    It has been a season of domestic dominance for the Dubai club, who are also in the final of both the President’s Cup and Arabian Gulf Cup, and Saeed has been an integral factor in their form.

    The 32-year-old former UAE international has played in 21 of Al Ahli’s 22 league matches this campaign and last night cemented his future at the club by signing a new two-year deal.

    “The club has made me very happy and I am delighted to be here,” said Saeed, who signed for Al Ahli in January 2012 having previously spent his entire career at Al Wahda. “After everything I have experienced since moving here, I had no plan to leave if I had the chance to stay – no player would want to leave this club.”

    Saeed revealed that he had options available to move elsewhere, but insists he wanted to remain at the Rashid Stadium if given the chance.

    “I thank the other clubs for their interest but I wanted to stay at Al Ahli,” he said. “The players are treated so well here and we receive a lot of appreciation; appreciation from the board, appreciation from the manager and coaches. I am very happy to be here.”

    Al Ahli CEO Ahmed Khalifa shared his delight in securing Saeed’s services for a further two years, hailing the defender as an “asset” to the club.

    “He is a very good player, he is very professional both on and off the field,” said Khalifa. “He is an asset to the team. I thank him for what he has given to the team and for what he will bring for the next two years.

    “We hope he can help us continue the club’s winning ways. Our aims are to consistently win league titles and meet our goals.”

    Barring an incomprehensible catastrophe, Al Ahli will be the league champions this season, with the team needing just one point from their four remaining fixtures.

    They will be heavy favourites when they face Dubai rivals Al Wasl this evening, but assistant coach Catalin Raducan as urged his team not to take the Cheetahs lightly. Indeed, it was Al Wasl who inflicted one of Al Ahli’s two league defeats this season.

    “It’s very important for us to take this game seriously and finish everything in the league as soon as possible to give us the opportunity to focus on other competitions and targets,” Raducan said.

    “It will be a difficult game even though Al Wasl have had a tough season.“But their position in the league is not what they deserve; they are better than this.

    “They beat us earlier in the season, but we aren’t thinking about this.”

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