ABU DHABI // Paul Le Guen, the Oman coach, is set to take his place as the new manager at Al Wahda as the club tries to end their Arabian Gulf League drought of six years.
According to an official of the club, the two parties are expected to finalise the deal after Oman’s World Cup Qualifying Group D opener against India on Thursday night at the Sri Kanteerava stadium in Bangalore.
“The negotiations have been ongoing between the coach and the club and we expect the deal to be completed soon as his job at hand is over,” said the official.
Wahda finished fourth in the AGL and made a first round exit from the President’s Cup under Sami Al Jaber, who was appointed on a six-month deal after the club parted ways with Jose Peseiro.
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Al Jaber’s contract wasn’t renewed “as both parties couldn’t completely agree in which direction to take the club next season,” according to the former Saudi Arabia international.
Peseiro was appointed in the middle of the 2013/2014 season following the sacking of the Czech Karol Jarolim.
He did a remarkable job by taking Wahda to a creditable second in the league that season and they were third when the Portuguese was surprisingly dismissed in February.
However, with Le Guen set to take charge, Wahda are looking for a fresh start and a trophy-winning season.
“He’s a coach with a lot of experience,” said the official. “He has spent over three years in Oman and that experience in the region would certainly come in handy when he moves to Wahda.”
Le Guen, 51, began his managerial career with French club Rennes in 1998 to 2001. He then had spells at Lyon, Scottish club Glasgow Rangers, and Paris Saint-Germain before taking charge of Cameroon in 2009/2010.
He has been the Oman coach since June 2011, leading them to the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia; four years after the country missed out on the continental championship.
Le Guen enjoyed success during his playing career at Nantes and PSG, winning 17 caps for the French national team.
He began his professional playing career at Stade Brest, spending six years before a move to Nantes for two years. His most successful period was at PSG for the next seven years where he made 478 appearances and earned a Cup Winners’ Cup medal in 1996.
apassela@thenational.ae
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