Al Jazira’s dramatic shake up continued on Tuesday as they confirmed the long-awaited news they have re-appointed Abel Braga as head coach, replacing 60-year-old Belgian Eric Gerets.
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The Pride of Abu Dhabi made the announcement via their Twitter account, declining to reveal the contract length the 62-year-old Brazilian agreed on his return to the club he led to Arabian Gulf League, President’s Cup and Arabian Gulf Cup success between 2008-11. It brings a premature end to Gerets’ spell in charge after guiding his free-scoring side to second place in the top flight in his first season having signed a two-year deal on arrival from Qatar’s Lekhwiya last summer.
“Al Jazira Football Company announced that the Brazilian manager Abel Braga has officially signed a contract to coach the first football team, as a replacement of the Belgian Eric Gerets, and he will be presented to the media and fans later with a press conference,” a statement said.
Braga has been in contact with the capital giants for some time, a three-year contract worth €5 million (Dh21m) per annum believed to have been agreed previously. Official confirmation on the terms is expected to follow at his unveiling, which will not be immediate.
He will have the eye-catching additions of playmaker Thiago Neves and winger Gervinho under his control by then, the former already snapped up from Saudi Arabia giants Al Hilal for €11m (Dh45m) and the latter set to finalise a €13m (Dh53m) move from Roma when he returns from international duty with Ivory Coast.
Official: Abel #Braga Replaces Eric #Gerets as New Coach of Al Jazira Details http://t.co/jGtkiy1YBe pic.twitter.com/Ydru388CPn
— AlJazira FC Official (@AlJazira_uae) June 16, 2015
UAE centre-back Fares Juma is also expected to imminently complete a move to escape the substitute’s bench at Al Ain, providing much-needed strengthening to a side who possessed the third-worst defensive record in AGL last season despite their high finish.
Braga is an iconic figure from Jazira’s past thanks to the league and President’s Cup double won in 2010/11. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil centre-back becomes the seventh coach to join the capital giants since his departure four years ago, none able to replicate his success.
His latest post represents the 29th of a well-travelled coaching career, most recently exiting Internacional in his homeland last December after a disappointing run.
Expectations will be high for Braga and he will be expected to improve on the previous campaign. Jazira bombed out early in the President’s Cup and Arabian Gulf Cup, failed to progress from the AFC Champions League qualifiers and finished nine points behind AGL champions Al Ain after an awful final run which included three defeats in their last five matches.
A post-season meeting between Gerets, the technical committee and chairman His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan last month sealed his fate, the delay coming as negotiations on his severance package were agreed.
Ahmed Saeed Al Marzouki was also announced as Jazira’s new first-team supervisor, replacing Mohammed Salem – the brother of Al Ain and UAE centre-back Mohanad.
