Al Ahli’s fine domestic season has been noted with eight players and coach Cosmin Olaroiu nominated for the second Arabian Gulf League Awards.
The ceremony will be held in Abu Dhabi on May 17, the eve of the President’s Cup final in which the Red Knights can secure an unprecedented treble with victory over Al Ain.
Star striker Grafite will be hoping to defend his crown as Foreign Player of the Year, and has been joined on the shortlist by team-mates Ciel and Hugo Viana.
There is fierce competition for the award though with Abdelaziz Barrada of Al Jazira, Al Ain’s Asamoah Gyan, 27-goal Al Wahda striker Sebastian Tagliabue are all also nominated.
The Red Knights also have four players – Basheer Saeed, Abdulaziz Haikal, Ismail Al Hammadi and Majed Hassan – up for the Emirati Player of the Year award, won last year by UAE star Omar Abdulrahman – who is again nominated this time around.
Meanwhile, Ahli’s potentially historic season should ensure Olaroiu pick up Coach of the Year, a gong he missed out on last year to Ajman’s Abdulwahab Abdulakdir.
In all nine prizes, including Rookie of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year, will be given out at the gala evening while the league’s Technical Committee will announce the season’s Best XI.
All three teenagers called up by UAE coach Mahdi Ali on Sunday, Ali Salmeen, Ahmed Rabea and Yousif Saeed, have been shortlisted for the young player gong.
Nominees Foreign Player of the Year: Simon Feindouno (Ajman), Hugo Viana, Ciel, Grafite (all Al Ahli), Abdelaziz Barrada (Al Jazira), Kim Jung-Woo (Sharjah), Luiz Henrique (Emirates), Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain), Sebastian Tagliabue (Al Wahda), Makhete Diop (Al Dhafra)
Emirati Player of the Year: Basheer Saeed, Abdulaziz Haikal, Ismail Al Hammadi, Majed Hassan (all Al Ahli), Eisa Santo, Ismail Matar (both Al Wahda), Omar Abdulrahman (Al Ain), Habib Fardan (Al Nasr), Bandar Alahbabi (Al Dhafra), Ali Mabkhout (Al Jazira)
Coach of the Year: Cosmin Olaroiu (Al Ahli), Dr Abdullah Misfer (Al Dhafra), Marcos Paqueta (Al Shabab), Jose Peseiro (Al Wahda), Paulo Bonamigo (Sharjah)
Rookie of the Year: Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Abdulla Al Naqbi (Al Dhafra), Ahmed Rabea (Al Jazira), Bader Bilal (Al Shaab), Yousif Saeed (Sharjah)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Saif Yousif (Al Ahli), Ali Khaseif (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa (Al Ain), Ismail Rabee (Al Shabab), Mohamed Yousif (Sharjah)
