DUBAI // Gabriel Calderon's future as Al Wasl manager was thrown into doubt on Tuesday when the club confirmed he would not take charge of the team for Thursday's President's Cup quarter-final against Al Ain.
Calderon, who joined the club in October 2014, has been given an “official” two-day vacation and is reportedly set to meet the club’s management once he returns to discuss strategies for next season. However, it remains to be seen if that meeting will actually happen. Calderon has one year remaining on his contract.
See also from John McAuley:
• New Al Shabab manager Fred Rutten 'faces many great challenges'
• Caio Junior to leave Al Shabab 'not happy with some situations', but 'happy with job I've done'
Saleem Abdelrahman, one of his assistants and a long-time servant at Wasl, has been placed in temporary charge, with the team facing Al Ain at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals of the cup.
Calderon’s position at Wasl has looked increasingly shaky as the 2015/16 Arabian Gulf League neared its conclusion, after the Argentine became increasingly frustrated with what he perceived to be a gradual undermining of his role by the club’s management. Subsequently, he grew more vocal – on Sunday, following Wasl’s campaign-concluding defeat to Al Shabab, Calderon said the team played the first half of the season with his philosophy, but the second half with the management’s. Wasl eventually finished sixth.
• Steve Luckings's Five things to do this week: Watch West Ham v Man United; President's Cup action and buy tickets for F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Earlier in the season, Calderon’s side were favourites for a top-three finish and qualification to next year’s Asian Champions League, but the decision in January to replace Brazil striker Edgar Bruno with compatriot Rogerinho proved misguided. At the time, Calderon made public his displeasure, saying the club board had made the call despite him making clear he preferred Bruno remain.
Rogerinho’s arrival prompted Calderon to rejig his formation by playing forward Caio at the tip of his attack. Placed out wide, Rogerinho scored once in 11 matches as Wasl went on to win four of their 12 fixtures since deciding not to re-register Bruno for the second half of the season.
Calderon, a former Baniyas manager, has been linked to a number of clubs in recent weeks, namely Al Ain and Al Jazira. In almost two seasons at Wasl, he led the team to successive sixth-placed finishes.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport