DUBAI // Majed Obaidallah, the Al Wasl team manager, said the club are still hopeful they will be able to field Hugo Viana before the transfer window reopens in January.
The midfielder, was signed from Al Ahli hours after the close of the summer window on October 3 and Wasl are waiting to hear from the Football Association for instruction on whether he is eligible to play. The club have been in daily contact with the FA over the matter but have yet to be given a definitive answer.
A source at the FA confirmed they had received a letter from Fifa on Tuesday requesting the matter be dealt with internally.
The FA have enlisted legal expert Mario Gallavotti to investigate the issue and expect to have resolution, after careful deliberation with the 14 AGL clubs, sometime next week. The matter affects five players who were registered beyond the deadline: Viana, Mohammed Nasser and Saeed Suroor at Baniyas, Fujairah’s Ahmed Ibrahim and Ahmed Jumaa, at Division One’s Al Shaab.
In Wasl’s case, Viana’s continued exclusion deprives them of a fourth foreign player. They have already released Neto Berola, the summer signing from Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro,.
“We really need Viana very badly,” Obaidallah said. “But at the end of the day it is not in our hands. We hope to have closure soon.”
Elsewhere, Marin Ion said his knowledge of compatriot Cosmin Olaroiu will be useful when his Al Dhafra side host Al Ahli. “The match will be special for me as it will be a reunion between myself and my friend Cosmin,” the Romanian said. “We have come up against one another many times before.”
TODAY’S GAMES
Al Jazira v Al Nasr: Gerets likes a busy schedule
Eric Gerets, the Al Jazira coach, said playing two matches in the same week has its advantages as his players can quickly put the 4-2 defeat to Al Ahli on Saturday behind them and focus on their home match against Al Nasr. “The lesson we were taught by Al Ahli was very hard and we were very disappointed, but playing another game in the same week is good for us as it gives the chance to bounce back.” On his team’s leaky defence, the Belgian said: “We must not forget that every single player has an offensive and defensive duty; if anyone fails to do one of these duties properly then the whole group will suffer.”
Al Wasl v Baniyas: Every match a final for Wasl
Gabriel Calderon, who took charge of Al Wasl last week, said every match in the league will have to be treated as a “cup final” if the club want to turn their fortunes around. The Argentine led the Dubai club to a 2-2 away draw against Al Wahda in his first game in charge and prepares his team for a match against his former club, Baniyas, at Zabeel stadium. “I have very good memories of Baniyas but this makes no difference for the game. My job is always the same: I work for the best result every time, I work to win,” he said.
Ajman v Al Wahda: Comings and goings at Wahda
Al Wahda will be strengthened in attack on the return of Ismail Matar and Damian Diaz but weakened at the back without centre-back Hamdan Al Kamali and defensive midfielder Toufeek Abdulrazak when they travel to Ajman. Matar and Diaz both returned to action as substitutes in the 2-2 draw against Al Wasl and they are expected to start tonight. Wahda are the only unbeaten side in the AGL and they lead the table.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
