Al Jazira have reappointed Marcel Keizer as manager less than one year after he left the club for Sporting Lisbon.
The Dutchman, 50, has signed a two-year contract, replacing at the Abu Dhabi club compatriot Jurgen Streppel, who was relieved of his duties this weekend following a disappointing start to the season.
Keizer returns to Jazira having been dismissed by Sporting last month after a run of only two victories from their opening five matches. He managed Jazira at the beginning of the 2018/19 season, guiding them to five wins and four draws before switching to Sporting in November.
“I am delighted to be back in the UAE and representing this great club,” Keizer said in a statement. “We will work hard in all competitions this season and we hope to give our fans plenty of excitement and entertainment along the way. I am looking forward to meeting up with the squad and I am excited about what we can achieve together.”
At Sporting, Keizer led the side to success in the Portuguese Cup and Portuguese League Cup, while also finishing third in last season’s Primeira Liga. However, they began this campaign with a hugely damaging 5-0 defeat to Benfica in the Super Cup.
At Jazira, Keizer inherits a team who won four of their eight matches since Streppel’s appointment this summer, although only one in the Arabian Gulf League. After three rounds, the 2016/17 champions sit seventh.
“We are delighted to announce Marcel’s return to Al Jazira FC,” said Jazira CEO Ayed Mabkhout. “He is a top-class coach and his understanding of the local and regional championships here will be a big advantage to us. We wish him all the very best for a successful season ahead.
“I would like to thank Jurgen for all of his commitment and work during his time with us. We wish him every success in the future.”
