Former Argentina manager Edgardo Bauza has emerged as the lead candidate to replace Mahdi Ali at the helm of UAE national team.
The 59-year-old Argentine is now considered the Football Association’s primary target following complications on Thursday surrounding the deal to appoint Colombia’s Reinaldo Rueda.
Bauza, who was last month dismissed from his post in charge of Argentina, always figured prominently on the FA’s list of potential appointments, with a two-year contract understood to have been already offered late last month.
Bauza spent eight months with Argentina from August last year, but was told to step down following a dismal World Cup qualifying campaign that left the 2014 finalists fifth in the Conmebol section – one spot outside automatic qualification.
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Hunt for new UAE football manager
■ Initial shortlist: Zaccheroni, Capello, Bauza, Van Gaal, Scolari
■ Reinaldo Rueda: FA carries on hunt for manager after talks break down
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Until Thursday, Bauza seemed set to miss out on the UAE job to Rueda. However, an agreement could not be reached with the former Colombia, Honduras and Ecuador manager as to when he began the role.
Given the UAE resume their bid to qualify for next year’s World Cup against Thailand on June 13, the FA wanted Rueda in place as soon as possible. Yet it transpired that he would not be able to commit to the position until after the match in Bangkok, prompting the FA to look at alternatives.
It has since switched attention to Bauza, a manager of significant experience having spent the majority of his post-playing career at clubs in Argentina and throughout South America.
Most notably, he led Ecuador’s LDU Quito and Argentina’s San Lorenzo to win the Copa Libertadores, the highest club prize in South American football, in 2008 and 2014, respectively. Bauza also has experience of Gulf football having been employed briefly at Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in 2009.
Mahdi Ali resigned in March immediately following the UAE's 2-0 defeat in the crucial qualifier against Australia. The loss in Sydney came five days after the national team were beaten at home by Japan by the same scoreline, leaving the UAE's hopes of reaching Russia next summer looking increasingly slim.
The UAE sit fourth in Group B in the final stage of qualification, seven points off the automatic qualification spots. With three matches remaining, they lie four points back from Australia in third, the position that guarantees entry into a series of play-offs to make the World Cup.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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