Legend Maradona to work in Dubai

Updated on: 17 May,2011 06:44 AM IST |
AFP |

Argentine Legend Maradona will manage UAE club Al-Wasl next season

Argentine Legend Maradona will manageu00a0UAE club Al-Wasl next season

Argentina legend Diego Maradona is to take over as coach next season at Dubai's Al-Wasl, the club announced yesterday.

"Al-Wasl Sports Club is proud to announce the appointment of Diego Armando Maradona as head coach of Al-Wasl Football Club, in a momentous development that will see the football legend lead the team for the next two seasons," the club said in a statement.

The 50-year-old Maradona was manager of the Argentina national side at last year's World Cup in South Africa, but was sacked after they lost 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-finals.

His name had been mentioned in connection with several coaching jobs since then, notably in the English Premier League and in Iran, but nothing came of these speculations.

The Dubai job was first mentioned on Saturday when Maradona paid a visit to the Al-Wasl training facility and headquarters and club officials said an announcement could be made shortly.

Commenting on the agreement, club chairman Marwan Bin Bayat said: "Al-Wasl Sports Club has become synonymous with achievements of this calibre, and we are very pleased to be welcoming Maradona to a long line of accolades in the club's history.

"This partnership embodies the vision of the club as it embraces forward thinking developments in the region to establish unprecedented standards for the sport."u00a0

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