AGL could be a league for Al Ahli’s old men this season

Cosmin Olaroiu's men hope defending their league title is not a bridge too far for their group of veteran foreigners, writes Ahmed Rizvi

Ciel, left, celebrates with Al Ahli teammate Grafite, centre, after scoring against Al Nasr in their Arabian Gulf League match at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai on January 23, 2014. Satish Kumar / The NaShow more

“Too much of a good thing,” Mae West, the late Hollywood star, once said, “can be wonderful.”

Al Ahli will hope that is true as they start the defence of their league title with the most experienced foreign contingent in the Arabian Gulf League.

Put another way, Ahli’s expatriates are also the league’s oldest. Grafite turned 35 in April and Mirel Radoi celebrated his 33rd birthday in March. The same month saw Ciel turn 32, while, at 30, Luis Jimenez is the youngest.

Their combined 130 years makes them the oldest foreign quartet in the league by some distance. The Ras Al Khaimah club Emirates are second at 121 years and Baniyas third with 119.

At the opposite end of that spectrum are Al Ain. At 28, Asamoah Gyan is the oldest of their foreign players, followed by Jires Kembo Ekoko (26), Lee Myung-joo (24) and Miroslav Stoch (24). Their combined age is 102.

Al Jazira, one of the three favourites for the league title this season, alongside Ahli and Al Ain, have also pursued youth, with the former Juventus and Roma star Mirko Vucinic, at 30, being their oldest foreign recruit. Jonathan Pitroipa, the player of the tournament at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, is two years younger, Jucilei is 26, and Manuel Lanzini is the second-youngest foreign player in the league at 21.

Wonder what Jose Mourinho would have thought about his foreign players if he was the boss at Ahli? Remember his jibe about Samuel Eto’o? “He is 32 years old, maybe 35, who knows?”

Cosmin Olaroiu thinks differently. Grafite, Ciel and Radoi may have ageing legs, but the Ahli coach also sees big hearts.

“These players have already proven their commitment to the team through a really difficult last season and helped the club win three trophies,” said the Romanian, who has won three consecutive league titles in the UAE.

“They have earned the right to stay with the team and to continue our journey towards more victories and titles in the new season.

“What I am seeing now on the training ground is a bunch of players with the same enthusiasm and determination as they showed last season.”

Grafite, the oldest foreign player in the league, is among the most determined of Ahli's men, working hard on both his game and fitness in training. The Brazilian is keen to keep playing for another "two or three years".

“I know I am 35 now,” he said. “I am not a young man anymore. I am not the fighter that I used to be, not as strong physically as I used to be. So I will work harder to stay fit and keep playing.

“But the day I realise I cannot keep up with the younger players, that will be the moment for me to say goodbye, to say farewell to my love.”

It is difficult to argue against Grafite’s presence in the Ahli team. Last season, he won the Player of the Year award as Olaroiu’s men romped to the league and Arabian Gulf Cup titles.

Any club in the league would welcome him if he chose to leave the Rashid Stadium.

The former Wolfsburg star, who moved to Ahli in 2011, appeared in 24 league matches last season, playing 2,138 minutes and scoring 19 goals. Only goalkeeper Saif Yousuf (2,160) played more minutes for Ahli, and Basheer Saeed, another member of Ahli’s 30-plus club, highlighted that fact.

“The age factor does not bother us,” said the defender, 33, who played 2,091 minutes last season. “Me and Grafite, we clocked the most minutes for Ahli in the outfield and we are confident of doing even better this season.

“Both of us know what we want and we take good care of ourselves. We love competing and we love challenges.”

To prove his point, the Emirati also talked about the arrival of Nawaf Mubarak, 33, from Baniyas.

There is no doubting their quality and commitment but, still, football is a young man’s sport and Al Ain’s success in the Asian Champions League seems to reinforce that.

Gyan did not miss a league match last season, played for 2,327 minutes, the most for any player in the league, and scored 29 goals. Yet, his team finished sixth as Radoi and Alex Brosque, 30, struggled with injuries.

The arrival of Kembo Ekoko, Lee and Stoch has transformed the side.

Coach Zlatko Dalic wanted “young, skilful and faster players” because he wanted his team “to play at a faster rhythm”. That rhythm proved too good for Saudi club Al Ittihad in the Champions League quarter-finals and most of the AGL teams, if not all, might struggle to cope with it as well.

Jazira’s new coach, Eric Gerets, on the other hand, wanted a mix of “youth and experience” and he seems to have got his wish, as well.

Few foreign players in the AGL can boast of a CV to match Vucinic’s – five years at Roma and three at Juventus. Pitroipa, who comes from French club Rennes, brings both experience and youth, while Argentine Lanzini, a replacement for Abdelaziz Barrada, has been tipped for stardom.

We will know soon whether Ahli’s golden oldies can hold their own against these exciting new arrivals to the AGL or whether we are seeing the birth of a new order.

Club (Avg Age) -- Foreign players and their ages

Al Ahli (32.5) -- Grafite 35, Mirel Radoi 33, Ciel 32, Luis Jimenez 30

Emirates (30.25) -- Issam Erraki 33, Luiz Henrique 33, Youssef Kaddioui 29, Rodrigo 26

Baniyas (29.75) -- Kim Jung-woo 32, Joan Verdu 31, Angel Dealbert 31, Carlos Munoz 25

Fujairah (29.5) -- Madjid Bougherra 31, Boubacar Sanogo 31, Hassan Yebda 30, Hassan Maatouk 26

Al Wahda (28.5) -- Hussain Fadhel 29, Sebastian Tagliabue 29, Damian Diaz 28, Adil Hermach 28

Kalba (28.5) -- Danilo Bueno 30, Wael Ayan 29, Rafael 28, Luis Leal 27

Al Nasr (28.25) -- Brett Holman 30, Ibrahima Toure 28, Renan Garcia 28, Ivan Trickovski 27

Al Dhafra (28) -- Bilal Najjarine 33, Paulinho 28, Makhete Diop 26, Matias Defederico 25

Sharjah (27.75) -- Leonardo Lima 32, Mauricio Ramos 29, Wanderley 25, Luan 25

Ajman (27.75) -- Boris Kabi 33, Karim Ziani 32, Driss Fettouhi 24, Ahmed Ibrahim 22

Al Shabab (27) -- Azizbek Haydarov 29, Carlos Villanueva 28, Edgar Bruno 27, Henrique Luvannor 24

Al Jazira (26.25) -- Mirko Vucinic 30, Jonathan Pitroipa 28, Jucilei 26, Manuel Lanzini 21

Al Ain (25.5) -- Asamoah Gyan 28, Jires Kembo Ekoko 26, Lee Myung-joo 24, Miroslav Stoch 24

Al Wasl (Have not announced their fourth player) 23.66) -- Neto Berola 26, Ederson 25, Fabio Lima 20

Oldest player Grafite (35, Al Ahli) Youngest player Fabio Lima (20, Al Wasl)

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