The moment the Arabian Gulf League title plunged from the skies last weekend onto the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium turf, it marked the ceremonial end of another season.
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Al Ain were secure as dominant – and deserved – champions, the parachutist handing over a prize in the final round that had been claimed with a trio of matches to spare.
Zlatko Dalic’s men emerged with glory from another campaign packed full of intrigue, excellence, ruthlessness and fallibility depending on the participant’s position.
The rest of the division were left in the Boss’ wake, a refreshed side waltzing to a third top-flight crown in four seasons despite superstar pair Asamoah Gyan and Omar Abdulrahman featuring sparingly.
Much soul searching is left over for second-placed Al Jazira and deposed holders Al Ahli.
ترتيب الفرق بعد الجولة الـ26 من #دوري_الخليج_العربي The standings after Round 26 #AGLeague pic.twitter.com/7jqfqGJdta
— Arabian Gulf League (@AGLeague) May 11, 2015
Al Ain won the most games, conceded the least goals, scored the second highest number of goals and finished 11 points ahead.
They also put in the defining performance, ending Al Wahda’s 20-match AGL unbeaten run in December with a staggering 4-0 dismantling.
This rise from sixth last term came despite sizeable distractions through their charge to the 2014 AFC Champions League semi-finals, plus the UAE’s deep Gulf Cup and Asian Cup runs.
But joy and a sense of pride is not their sole preserve – other success stories are contained within the division.
Al Shabab blossomed under the stewardship of Caio Junior, exceeding expectations to finish third and secure an ACL return after two-successive narrow misses under Marcos Paqueta.
You are the best !!! Thank you ! pic.twitter.com/K75oClyeuT
— Zlatko Dalic (@DalicZlatko) May 10, 2015
Al Wasl soared following the October arrival of steady hand Gabriel Calderon as coach, Brazilian trio Ederson Alves, Caio Cannedo and the outstanding Fabio De Lima scoring 46 goals between them in their debut season as the club finished sixth.
Fujairah also can enter the summer break with heads held high, finishing a creditable ninth after promotion.
The outfits feeling the most disappointment are just as obvious. Ahli slumped from a 16-point title-winning margin and treble success in 2013/14 to 22 points off the pace in seventh.
The decision to ditch tempo-setting midfielder Hugo Viana was misguided, a failure to add a lethal striking replacement for Grafite in January terminal.
Jazira moved up one spot under heavily-recruited coach Eric Gerets, yet a turbulent off-season lies ahead.
The Belgian was unable to find a solution to his oft-bemoaned troubles in defence, a staggering 46 goals conceded to leave a record only superior to the relegated bottom two of Ajman and Ittihad Kalba – who won five games between them.
! Champions بطل! pic.twitter.com/ZfNzMzyrd3
— Jirès Kembo Ekoko (@JiresKembo_) May 10, 2015
There was also shame for the UAE Football Association, the late registration of five players in September preventing Viana from making his Wasl debut until February – among others – as FIFA got involved.
Wahda’s implausible firing of coach Jose Peseiro in February with the Clarets in third left a sour taste, though successor Sami Al Jaber is finally finding his feet with a five-match unbeaten ending.
As ever, a plethora of new signings and fresh coaches will shake up the scene during the summer. Champions Al Ain can serenely sit back and watch the chaos unfold following a bravura 2014/15.
