Ahead of the start to the 2015/16 Arabian Gulf League season, The National will preview the fortunes of each of the UAE's 14 top-flight clubs. Here, Ahmed Rizvi examines Sharjah.
Outlook
Last season Sharjah did not have the best of starts to their campaign. Days before the season began, their classy playmaker Fellype Gabriel tore a cruciate ligament and his injury left a gaping hole in coach Paulo Bonamigo’s plans.
“Gabriel’s injury in the final stages of our preparatory camp in Germany had a negative impact on the team and we felt its effects through the entire season,” said Bonamigo, whose team finished 12th last season.
The Brazilian is hoping for better luck this time as he readies a much-altered squad for the new season. The club have brought in the Brazilian duo of Renato Caja and Maicosuel to replace Rodriguinho and Marion Silva.
They have also shown the door to several of their Emirati players, such as Abdullah Darwish, Ali Al Saadi, Salem Khamis, Darwish Ahmed and Ahmad Khamis, and brought in Hamdan Qassim and Waleed Ahmad.
The changes were necessary given Sharjah’s disappointing season. They kept a clean sheet in just one of their 26 league matches in 2014/15 and had only three wins at home and seven losses.
“We are a lot more optimistic about this year because our younger players have gained experience over the past season,” Bonamigo said. “Hopefully, there will be no injuries because we suffered a lot from it last season.”
Foreign quartet
Mauricio Ramos: In his third season with Sharjah, Ramos has been a robust presence in the back four and the team’s leader on the pitch. His experience will again be invaluable.
Wanderley: Sharjah did not have a great season in 2014/15, but that did not stop Wanderley from scoring 17 goals in 25 league matches to finish among the top three.
Renato Caja: One of the two newcomers to the team, the midfielder has played in Saudi Arabia, China, Japan and Turkey, and comes to the AGL with a pretty decent resume.
Maicosuel: Has played for Udinese in Italy and had a good season with Atletico Mineiro last year. In case you are wondering, the midfielder’s name is pronounced “Maxwell”.
Key Emirati players
Striker Yousuf Saeed, 20, has made some positive strides in recent times and goalkeeper Mohammed Yousuf is one of the safest pair of hands in the AGL.
In defence, Sharjah have Shaheen Abdulrahman, the man who infamously brought Ciel’s 2014/15 season to an early finish and the vastly experienced Badr Abdulrahman.
Manager
Paulo Bonamigo, Brazil: A veteran of the league, the former Al Shabab and Al Jazira coach will mostly be judged on whether he can steer the club away from relegation, where they hovered too close for comfort last term.
The National’s verdict
Sharjah were clear underperformers last season, finishing just above the two relegated teams. Disappointed with the results, the club management decided to dump several players, but have kept faith in manager Bonamigo. The Brazilian will, then, be under pressure to deliver, but setting their sights too high could prove counterproductive. Bonamigo usually performs best without the weight of expectations.
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