ABU DHABI // Laszlo Boloni will head to Abu Dhabi this week to sign a contract with Al Wahda, the Pro League champions who have wasted no time in appointing a new coach as they plan ahead for the Club World Cup (CWC) in December. Boloni takes over from Josef Hickersberger, the Austrian who led Wahda to CWC qualification. The club will represent the UAE.
"The new coach will arrive this week to complete the formalities and draw up his training schedule before the team leave for Germany for a three-week camp on July 22," said Khaled Awadh, the deputy chief executive, without disclosing any other details. In the CWC, Wahda will face Hekari United of Papua New Guinea, the Oceania champions who beat Waitakere of New Zealand 4-2 in the O-League final. Wahda are determined to do better than Al Ahli, the 2008-2009 league champions, who were beaten 2-0 by Auckland City, an amateur side from New Zealand, which led to a first-round exit.
"All this early preparation is for a special season ahead, particularly to do the UAE proud at the CWC," said Awadh. "Boloni has the experience, having spent a season in Abu Dhabi, and will surely know a great deal about the players and what we would require from him." The Romanian, 57, spent a season at Al Jazira in 2007/08, when the team were runners-up in the league and Gulf Club Cup winners. He moved to Standard Liege, the Belgian side, where he spent two years. He won the league title in 2008/09 before resigning in February following a series of disappointing results.
Boloni was also linked by the Portuguese press with Porto, the 2004 Champions League winners, to replace Jesualdo Ferreira, whose contract expires this summer. He was also considering a move to the Croatian side Hajduk Split before deciding to join Wahda. Boloni is well known in Portugal for his success with Sporting Lisbon and as the coach who discovered and encouraged Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2008 World Player of the Year, while he was playing for them from 2001 to 2003.
Haider Ali, the Wahda captain, said he and his teammates were willing to work with any manager and would do their best to achieve more success for the club. "I have worked with several coaches, both at the club and the national team, and everyone has their own way of doing things," Ali said. "So it doesn't really matter as long as we all adapt to a system to produce results. "Boloni was at Jazira and he did a pretty good job with them. We have all seen his work and hope we can help him to achieve better results."
Wahda are also in talks with Hassan Ashjari, the Iranian international, 30, who plays at left-back for Zobahan. He would complete the "three plus one" foreign quota as the club's one player of Asian origin. "We are in talks with him but nothing concrete has come out of it," said Awadh. The club is looking to replace Hassan Mudhafer, the Omani international. apassela@thenational.ae
Born March 11, 1953, Romania Clubs/Player Romania 108 games, 25 goals ASA Targu Mures 1970/84 Steaua Bucharest 1984/87 Racing Jet Wavre 1987/88 US Cretel 1988/89 US Orleans 1989/92 Clubs/Coach AS Nancy 1994/2000 Romania 2000/01 Sporting 2001/03 Stade Rennais 2003/06 AS Monaco 2006 Al Jazira 2007/08 Standard Liege 2008/10 Honours Romanian Footballer of the Year, 1977 and 1983; Belgian Manager of the Year, 2009