Coach Abel Braga says he will not accept the shambolic defensive performances that saw Al Jazira fall short of the Arabian Gulf League title last season.
Jazira were the AGL’s top scorers, netting 66 times in 26 games, scoring four more than champions Al Ain, but only only relegated Ittihad Kalba and Ajman shipped more at the other end.
In the returning Braga’s first trophy-laden stint at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, between 2008 and 2011, the Brazilian’s side struck the perfect balance between attacking football and a stingy rearguard.
And the well-travelled 62-year-old admits the first job he faces tightening up at the back without compromising his side’s free-scoring ways.
“I spoke with the players about last season and the goal difference. I am not happy and they need to improve,” Braga said ahead of Jazira’s league opener against Al Wasl Friday.
“I’m not blaming them but I will not accept the same this season. We lost the title, but how did we not get the title when we scored more goals than Al Ain?
“We scored enough goals but we also conceded many goals. If we can get the defence to match the attack then we can win the title.”
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Brazilian Braga is back at the club after four years away. His first spell brought unprecedented success, Jazira winning the AGL title and President’s Cup double in 2010/11 in his swansong campaign.
Those triumphs brought huge popularity with the fans, and Braga pleaded with Jazira’s supporters to provide similar backing once again.
“I cannot promise the title but I can promise the fans we will not be far from it, maybe one or two points,” he said.
“The good thing about the players is that a lot of them are the same group as was here before, like Ali Mabkhout, Abdulla Moussa, Ali Khaseif, Juma Abdulla, so this is good and they are happy to see me back.
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— AlJazira FC Official (@AlJazira_uae) August 19, 2015
“The fans kept asking about me even though I was not here. I’m back now and I need them to be back too and supporting the team. I want them to come back and see if Braga has got older after four years.”
Braga said Wasl, resurgent under Argentine Gabriel Calderon in the second half of last season, will provide a stern test as both play similar football.
“I saw a couple of Al Wasl games on the internet and but I don’t know much about Al Wasl now. I saw Al Wasl when Maradona was manager,” he said. “There is another Argentine coach now so it is a similar style and it is also similar to our style. It’s going to be an important game for both teams. I hope we can win the three points.”
