By Samindra Kunti
May 8 – Argentina legend Diego Maradona has signed a one-year contract at UAE second tier club Fujairah in a surprise return to coaching.
“I want to tell you that I’m the new technical director of Fujairah, of the second division of United Arab Emirates,” Maradona wrote on his official Facebook page. “These are my new colours.”
There was some confusion about the Argentine’s declaration, with Fujairah tweeting a picture of him holding their shirt along with a message: “Official: The new coach of Fujairah.”
Maradona last coached a club in 2012 when the Arabian Gulf League club Al Wasl dismissed him. El Diez has a patchy track record in coaching. In the mid 90’s Maradona coached at Mandiyu de Corrientes and Racing Club in Argentina. In 2008 he was surprisingly picked for the top job of leading Argentina. He led his country to the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup, but wasn’t offered a contract renewal after the 4-0 trashing by Germany.
In May 2011, the Argentinean became coach of Al Wasl, but a trophy-less campaign followed, featuring an eighth-placed top-flight finish and quarter-final exits in both the President’s Cup and Arabian Gulf Cup.
Recently the long-term Dubai resident has become close with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, appearing at several FIFA functions, including ‘The Best’ and the U20 World Cup draw. Maradona is also expected to make an appearance on the sidelines of the FIFA Congress in Bahrain.
Next season the controversial 1986 World Cup winner will take the helm of an ambitious club who are aiming to escape the UAE’s First Division League. This season Fujairah failed to gain an instant top-flight return.
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