Emirati coach Mahdi Ali on the cusp of
glory
By AFP, AP
Published Thursday, January 17, 2013
UAE coach Mahdi Ali (red cap) is congratulated after his team beat Kuwait 1-0
during the semi final of the 21st Gulf Cup in Manama, Bahrain on January 15,
2013. (AFP)
Iraq will take on the United Arab Emirates in the final of the 21st Gulf Cup on
Friday after both sides, the only two of eight in the tournament to be coached
by locals, advanced through the group stage undefeated.
The UAE netted
eight and conceded two in their four-match run to the final, while Iraq, seeking
a fourth Gulf Cup, were slightly more goal shy, scoring six but letting in just
one.
The UAE under Mahdi Ali and Iraq under Hakeem Shaker have punched
above their weight and cut down to size teams like defending champions Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, all of which had some famous international names
as coaches.
Qatar, under Paulo Autuori of Brazil, and Oman, under Paul Le
Guen of France, could only finish third and fourth respectively in Group 'A' to
make a premature exit while Dutchman Frank Rijkaard's Saudi Arabia finished
third in Group 'B'.
Kuwait, with Serbian Goran Tufegdzic at the helm, did
manage to make the semi-finals by the skin of their teeth but were beaten by a
young and energetic UAE in the semi-finals.
Yemen, who finished last in
Group 'B', are coached by Tom Saintfiet while Argentine Gabriel Calderon is at
the helm in Bahrain.
Two of those coaches have already lost their jobs,
in keeping with a predictable trend in the region where coaches are well
rewarded but their long term job security is not guaranteed.
Autuori was
sacked on Tuesday while the Saudis waited a day longer before showing the door
to Rijkaard, ending a deal reportedly worth $16-million signed in June 2011,
with the aim of guiding the team to its fifth World Cup finals.
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