Ten Cate, 63, called time on his managerial career in May after a superb two-and-a-half-year stint with the Pride of Abu Dhabi that included the 2015/16 President’s Cup and 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League. The ex-Barcelona and Chelsea assistant then turned down the likes of Egypt giants Al Ahly last summer.
But the opportunity to correct an alarming nose dive from the Clarets proved too alluring. Last term’s runners-up dismissed Laurentiu Reghecampf on November 25 after a five-match winless streak left them fifth, although their troubles continued under caretaker Al Hay Juma with Friday’s humiliating 6-0 thrashing by lowly Dibba Al Fujairah in the President’s Cup round of 16.
“Al Wahda officially contracts with the Dutch coach Henk ten Cate to take over the first team training tasks from next week,” they tweeted late on Friday.
They will now hope history repeats itself on the other side of the capital. Big-spending Jazira looked poised for a relegation battle when Ten Cate was hired in December 2015.
Unexpected success would follow, prior to the internal struggles of 2017/18.
With the UAE now set for their final training camp before January’s Asian Cup, his first fixture will be December 22’s trip to promoted Ittihad Kalba in the AGL.
