The Football Association could have a new UAE national team manager in place within the next 24 hours after Bert van Marwijk was dismissed on Saturday.
The FA confirmed in a brief statement that the Dutchman and staff had been relieved of their duties 14 months into their second stint with the team.
Van Marwijk, 69, was reappointed as UAE head coach in December 2020 - almost exactly one year after his first spell in charge had ended. His contract ran through until the conclusion of 2022 World Cup qualification.
The FA may well announce Van Marwijk’s successor by Sunday, with former Al Wasl and Shabab Al Ahli manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena heavily linked with the role.
The UAE have two matches remaining in the final round of qualification for this year’s World Cup. Both qualifiers – away to Iraq and at home to South Korea - take place at the end of next month.
Although they have missed out on an automatic spot for Qatar, the UAE sit third in Group A and therefore occupy the play-off spot. They are three points ahead of fourth-placed Lebanon, with Iraq one point further back in fifth.
Whoever finishes third will face the corresponding team in Group B – currently Australia – with the winner then going on to contest the intercontinental play-off for a place at the World Cup. The UAE have only once previously qualified for a global finals, in 1990.
Van Marwijk’s final matches with the UAE fell two weeks ago, when his team defeated Syria 2-0 at home in qualification before losing 1-0 away to group leaders Iran five days later.
In December, the UAE had exited the Fifa Arab Cup at the quarter-final stage, beaten 5-0 by hosts Qatar. Van Marwijk’s position was understood to be in serious jeopardy then, but the FA’s newly appointed national teams and technical affairs committee later decided to retain him.
The next appointment will represent the UAE’s seventh new manager since Mahdi Ali’s five-year tenure ended in 2017.
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UAE forward Ali under pressure from Iran defender Sadegh Moharrami during the World Cup Asian Qualifier at the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran, on February 1, 2022. AFP -
UAE forward Caio Canedo in possession against Iran. AFP -
Iran forward Mehdi Taremi, centre left, celebrates after scoring. AFP -
Iran midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi passes the ball. AFP -
Iran forward Mehdi Taremi celebrates after scoring. AFP -
Iran's Hossein Kanani under pressure from Ali Saleh of the UAE. AP -
UAE's Abdullah Ramadan is closed down by Saied Ezatolahi of Iran. AP -
UAE's Bandar al-Ahbabi tackles Alireza Bakhsh of Iran. AFP -
UAE midfielder Tahnoon Alzaabi on the attack against Iran. AP -
UAE's Khalil Ibrahim with Sadegh Moharrami of Iran. AP
