Argentina icon Diego Maradona’s unpredictable coaching career took another staggering twist on Monday night when Fujairah rehired him on a one-year contract extension just three days since the parties split in the wake of a failure to gain automatic promotion to the Arabian Gulf League.
Maradona, 57, departed from the Wolves by “mutual agreement” – according to his lawyer – less than three hours after Friday’s disappointing 1-1 draw with 10-man Khor Fakkan. This saw them drop into the promotion play-offs during the final round of First Division League matches.
But this dumbfounding reconciliation means the ex-Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli legend is set to lead the east coast-club for May 9 and 13’s clashes with Hatta, the top-flight’s bottom-placed side, and beyond.
Fujairah tweeted: “Under the direction of the president of Fujairah, Diego Maradona returns to lead the Wolves in the play-offs and renews the contract for another year.”
This development follows reports that overtures to Dibba Al Fujairah supremo Paulo Comelli had been rejected.
News of Maradona’s exit had reverberated across the globe at the weekend.
A lack of clarity about the surprise decision followed, with the joint FIFA Player of the Century’s UAE-based representatives left in the dark about the Wolves’ intent. But lawyer Matias Morla insisted his celebrated client had reached a consensus to walk away before the end of his one-season contract and was not sacked.
بتوجيهات من رئيس نادي الفجيرة يعود دييغو مارادونا لقيادة الذئاب في الملحق وتجديد عقده لعام آخر#fujfc pic.twitter.com/z4L28BCgpd
— FUJAIRAH FC (@Fuj_FC) April 30, 2018
“After today’s draw and having not achieved the goal of promotion, Diego Maradona will no longer be the coach of Fujairah,” Morla tweeted on Saturday, UAE time.
“The decision was made in mutual agreement and Diego leaves the team in a play-off situation. He wishes the best to the club that opened its doors.”
At the Fujairah Stadium-outfit, Maradona avoided defeat throughout the regular 2017/18 campaign. In April, a creditable 4-2 loss had also been registered in the President’s Cup quarter-finals against runaway AGL champions Al Ain.
But his profligate side was hamstrung by 11 second-division draws. The latest looked to have proved fatal as it saw Fujairah demoted to third on the final day at the expense of Ittihad Kalba, who joined champions Bani Yas back in the top flight.
Maradona’s previous posting was unceremoniously cut short by Al Wasl in July 2012, halfway through a two-year deal.
