The proverbial yo-yo club may finally have lost their bounce.
Since successive seasons in the UAE top flight between 2006 and 2008, Emirates had lurched between Division One and the country’s premier league, too good for the former but not good enough for the latter.
Then last season they proved what comes up must not necessarily come back down. A 10th-placed finish, a place in the 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League and a platform to establish themselves as regulars among the renowned.
A campaign that began with hope had quickly appeared hopeless, resulting in the dismissal of Eid Baroot, the Ras Al Khaimah native and a former favourite.
The Emirati, who steered Emirates to President’s Cup success in 2010, oversaw a torrid start as his side limped to seven points from their opening nine matches. The local experiment had failed.
So Emirates followed a well-trodden path: they looked to Brazil and appointed Paulo Comelli as coach.
The journeyman manager represented a gamble – he had never worked outside his homeland – but Comelli resolved to "turn the direction of the Emirates first team around".
The fixture list was not particularly accommodating. Tussles with Al Ahli and Al Jazira yielded little, but then a morale-boosting victory against Al Wasl sparked a run that gradually restored confidence and conviction.
Emirates were defeated three times in nine matches and went on to record unlikely triumphs against Jazira and Al Shabab.
Survival had been secured, consecutive campaigns in the top tier sealed. Comelli retained, the club intends to become a permanent fixture, just like they were a decade ago.
Luiz Henrique, the lively Brazilian, spearheads those hopes, although he requires significant support from those around him, chiefly from an all-too-generous defence. At the other end last season, Emirates fared better – they outscored five other teams – but the continued question marks surrounding striker German Herrera’s future means the squad could be deprived of their leading marksman from 2013/14.
There has been disruption at board level, too, with the management this week reportedly handing in their resignation, for reasons unconfirmed. It was promptly rejected.
Emirates have long sought stability and it remains the overriding objective.
FOREIGN SIGNINGS
LUIS HENRIQUE
A shock addition to the club in the summer of 2013, the former Al Shabab midfielder brought experience and ability. Henrique was a mainstay in the league last season, scoring five times, but his contribution should not be measured purely by goals. Quick and still nimble at age 33, the Brazilian supplies his side with an inventive streak. An intelligent player.
RODRIGO
An all-action attacking midfielder, the Brazilian has impressed in spurts at a succession of UAE clubs. Formerly at Al Shaab and then Al Dhafra, Rodrigo qualifies as Asian since he obtained an East Timor passport. Was among the goals at previous sides, but struggled last season and scored only three times in 25 league matches. Experienced, he adds some sought-after know-how in the fight for survival.
YOUSSEF KADDIOUI
Signed this summer from Al Kharaitiyat, a club in the Qatar Stars League, the Moroccan winger brings pace and a creative spark to his new side. His physicality is a worry – he stands 162.5 centimetres – although he performed well at Kharaitiyat and his goals helped the Al-Khor club narrowly avoid relegation. Knows the region, so the transition should be smooth.
ISSAM ERRAKI
Something of a rarity, as UAE clubs usually opt for attack-minded foreign players, the Moroccan is a defensive midfielder signed this summer from Raja Casablanca. At 33 years old, he boasts considerable experience, can be deployed further back and adds a tenacity that will make the team more resolute. He was called into Morocco’s squad last January for the 2014 African Cup of Nations.
GERMAN HERRERA
Considered the most dispensable of Emirates’ foreign contingent, the Argentina striker did finally show glimpses of his talent during 2013/14. In his first year at the club, Herrera disappointed and suspicions emerged regarding his commitment but 14 league goals last season temporarily allayed those concerns. Not the most mobile of frontmen, Emirates seem set to let him go.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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