Rodolfo Arruabarrena has moved up the list of contenders to revamp Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club after Al Wasl shockingly declined to renew the revitalising coach’s expired contract.
Arruabarrena, 42, worked wonders since his June 2016 arrival at an outfit who operate within their financial means. Finishes of second and third in the Arabian Gulf League represent the best of an otherwise trying professional era, while this term witnessed narrow defeats in the Arabian Gulf Cup and President’s Cup showpieces.
But the former Argentina, Boca Juniors and Villarreal left-back’s startling progress has gone without appreciation at Zabeel Stadium.
“Following a meeting with the technical body, the football club announces the non-renewal of the contract with team trainer Rodolfo Arruabarrena and his associate technical staff at the end of their current contract period,” the Cheetahs tweeted on Sunday.
This move was met by incredulity on Instagram from their Brazilian striker Caio Canedo.
He posted: “Whattttt?!!!!!!! Coach Rodolfo should stay!!!”
Arruabarrena guided Wasl to a club-record 23 undefeated AGL matches from January 2017-January 2018. They led the 2017/18 competition at the halfway stage, only to limp home third after five reversals from their last 11 games.
The Cheetahs this year also marked their return to the AFC Champions League after a decade away with an ignominious six losses out of six Group C-fixtures.
تعلن شركة #الوصل لكرة القدم عقب اجتماعها مع الجهاز الفني عدم تجديد التعاقد مع مدرب الفريق رودولفو أروابارينا وجهازه المعاون بنهاية فترة تعاقدهما الحالية، وتتقدم الشركة بالشكر للمدرب وطاقمه الفني على ما قدموه للنادي، متمنية لهم التوفيق والنجاح في مسيرتهم القادمة pic.twitter.com/fhmO70RXQc
— Al Wasl SC (@AlWaslSC) May 6, 2018
Overtures had already been made to him by Shabab Al Ahli before his exit was confirmed. A sizeable rebuilding task awaits at the merged club after a miserable inaugural season, with all six foreign players on their books expected to be leave.
Chile’s Jose Luis Sierra, 49, of Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad is among several candidates to be discussed at Rashid Stadium.
Former Al Hilal tactician Ramon Diaz, 58, is the early favourite for the Wasl post.
But the beaten 2017 AFC Champions League finalist’s wage demands of €4 million per annum (Dh17.6m) are almost double the €2.2m (Dh9.7m) countryman Arruabarrena earned.
Meanwhile, runners-up Al Wahda have revealed renewals for 110-goal striker Sebastian Tagliabue, iconic forward Ismail Matar and UAE right-back Mohammed Al Menhali.
