Bani Yas midfielder Mark Milligan has insisted the club must not hit the panic button as they possess the talent to get out of their Arabian Gulf League slump.
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The Sky Blues currently sit fifth ahead of Thursday night’s clash with fellow high-flyers Al Nasr, but their blistering start has ebbed away into an alarming run featuring one win in their last seven matches. This lack of form saw them beaten 2-1 at Al Wasl last week.
“Worried? We’ve only lost two games,” said the 30-year-old Australia midfielder. “When we’ve started games well this season, we’ve gone on to win them.
“I do not think it is panic stations. Hindsight is a good thing. We do not need to panic, there is enough talent to turn it around.”
Meanwhile, new Al Dhafra boss Mohammed Kwid has admitted the relegation-threatened club’s position “is not enviable” as he prepares to begin his third spell in charge at Al Wahda on Friday.
The Syrian was drafted in by the third-bottom side on Monday after they decided to dispense with Laurent Banide.
“I did not hesitate for a moment to accept the task of taking charge of Al Dhafra,” said Kwid, who was previously in situ during 2008-09 and 2010-11.
“The current situation is not enviable. I do not know if it is bad luck, but we face Al Wahda who have players who can make a difference.”
Newly-promoted Dibba Al Fujairah were expected to be marooned in the bottom two, yet they head into Thursday night’s game against Emirates Club in 10th after last week’s 1-0 derby win against Fujairah.
Chairman Ahmed Saeed Dhanhani thanked the team’s management for this success. He said: “The players have done brilliantly. I must also express the board’s satisfaction with the coaching staff, led by Theo Bucker and his deputy Tarek El Sayed.”
