Fred Rutten will watch new side Al Shabab from the stands on Sunday night as Caio Junior brings to a close his two seasons at the club.
The Brazilian takes charge of the Dubai side for the final time in the campaign-concluding match against Al Wasl at the Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium, with Shabab seeking victory to guarantee at least a top-five finish in the Arabian Gulf League. They still retain vague hope of clinching third.
Caio Junior, who joined the club in 2014, will be replaced by Rutten, with Shabab expected to make available details of the Dutch coach’s appointment on Sunday before he jets back to the Netherlands the following day.
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Speaking before the Al Wasl match, Caio Junior said: “Now we are here for our last game together, but this is football and we need to understand. I am not happy with some situations, but I am happy with the job I have done. Sunday will be my 80th game with Al Shabab, and our numbers and statistics have been very good. We can still finish third or fourth. To be in this position with the possibility to finish so high after the many problems we have had this season is very good.”
Rutten, 53, has never previously managed in the Middle East, but has extensive experience coaching in his homeland, most recently with Feyenoord. In December, he was tipped to replace Abel Braga at Al Jazira, however the position eventually went to compatriot Henk ten Cate.
In all, Rutten has coached PSV Einhoven, Vitesse, Twente and Germany’s Schalke. He left Feyenoord 12 months ago having secured a fourth-placed finish in the Eredivisie.
As well as Caio Junior, Shabab will also bid farewell on Sunday to captain Carlos Villanueva, who misses the Wasl match through injury. Villanueva’s contract is set to expire and Shabab have not offered an extension, paving the way for a return to his native Chile.
The 30-year-old playmaker joined Shabab in 2009, making him the longest-serving foreign player in the UAE top flight.
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