Al Wasl’s last-minute win over Al Shabab on Saturday night was enough to convince the club’s new board to hand caretaker boss Eid Baroot a full-time contract.
The offer was announced by Wasl’s press officer moments after their 2-1 win during the post-match press conference, delivering the news to a stunned Baroot in front of the media.
Although Baroot is yet to see details of the contract, he has previously stated his desire to stay with Wasl, while also claiming that he feels he owes a debt to his other employers at the UAE FA.
“I’m very happy to hear about it,” said Baroot. “I’m very happy for the news, nothing has come to me officially. I’m dealing with the management. Right now nothing is official but it is great news and I’m very happy.”
Baroot has been in charge of the club since February 17 when he took over from Guy Lacombe. Baroot is still employed by the UAE FA, where he manages the under-19 side, but his contract with the national football governing body expires this summer.
Wasl have won three times in seven games under Baroot’s stewardship, with impressive victories over Shabab and Al Jazira. It is a marked improvement to the Dubai-based club’s previous form under their last boss Lacombe, who managed to guide the Cheetahs to just two wins from his nine league games in charge.
Wasl’s former manager Bruno Metsu, who left the club early in the season due to illness, was in attendance during the club’s last gasp win over Shabab that came courtesy of two goals from Emiliano Alfaro.
After the dramatics of Diego Maradona’s stint in charge last season and the boardroom fall-out that followed in the summer, Wasl would have hoped for a less event-filled campaign this year.
However, it has been anything but. The man they chose to replace the great Argentine with – and the man many thought could return Wasl to the upper echelons of UAE football – Metsu left the position early into the season after being diagnosed with cancer.
The news stunned Wasl, whose early season promise faded after the Frenchman’s departure and results on the pitch continued to slump under caretaker Gilles Morrisseau and then Lacombe.
But the arrival of Baroot has brought a little consistency to the team and Wasl’s decision to offer him full-time terms is a reflection of that.
Alfaro the best in the UAE
Meanwhile, Baroot has hailed striker Emiliano Alfaro as one of the best players in the league after the Uruguayan netted twice in Wasl’s win over Shabab.
After giving Wasl a 1-0 lead in the first half, Alfaro rose in the 88th minute to head a clinching second and nick the win after Edgar had levelled.
“Alfaro is one of the top scorers in the league, that’s for sure,” said Baroot. “We saw him in the last two matches, he did not score but we saw him [against Al Shabab] and how he took opportunities; he made the difference, especially with the second goal.
“I am very happy for him, he is in the Uruguay national squad, he’s 24 and he’s very good and he has a very good future.”
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