DUBAI: If you had suggested two years ago that Al-Jazira would tonight be lining up to face Real Madrid in the semifinal of the FIFA Club World Cup you would have been laughed out of town or had your sanity questioned.
Back in December 2015 “The Pride of Abu Dhabi” were a rag-tag team of has-beens and never-weres, struggling to see off their UAE rivals, let alone beating some of the world’s best clubs sides.
But they find themselves ready to face Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. thanks to a remarkable turnaround and, more specifically, after beating Asian champions Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday.
They have become the first Emirati team to reach the last four of the tournament — the host nation’s representatives qualified for the competition after winning the 2016-17 Arabian Gulf League, and began their campaign with a 1-0 win over New Zealand’s Auckland City.
Rewind 24 months and tonight’s scene — lining up to take on the most famous club in world football — would have been unimaginable even for the most optimistic Al-Jazira fan.
Granted Al-Jazira did not win the AFC Champions League, but instead benefited from FIFA’s selection of the UAE as host country for the third time in the competition’s history. However, to get to this stage, Al-Jazira had to undergo a complete makeover.
When minnows Al-Dhafra scored two first-half goals to beat Al-Jazira 2-1, Brazilian coach Abel Brage knew his time at the club was over. A seventh defeat in 13 matches left the side in tenth place in the 14-team league table.
Sure enough, Braga was let go and an intriguing appointment was made; Dutchman Henk ten Cate had worked as an assistant coach to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona and to Avram Grant at Chelsea. His most notable success until then was winning domestic cups in Hungary and the Netherlands.
Upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi, ten Cate inherited a crumbling squad. The team had just lost talisman Manuel Lanzini to West Ham and key midfielder Khamis Esmail to Dubai’s Al-Ahli. An aging foreign quartet was recruited, and ten Cate was unimpressed.
“We decided to wave goodbye to some players who were not fighting for the team colors,” he remembers.
“We welcomed new players from the academy and this became part of our identity.”
The club’s budget was being stretched by highly-paid has-beens who were more interested in getting paid than in playing football. In his first six months at the club, ten Cate axed Jefferson Farfan, Angel Lafita, Thiago Neves and Kenwyne Jones, all of whom were on the wrong side of 30. Instead he focused on promoting youth from within.
When Al-Jazira defeated Auckland City last week, 19-year-old Eisa Al-Otaibah was partnered by 20-year-old Mohamed Al-Attas at the heart of midfield. It was testament to the success of the Dutchman’s approach and his continued belief in homegrown talent.
“We may not have the best players, but we have the best team. We play with a lot of passion and we like to always be that way,” said the 63-year-old, ahead of Saturday’s win over AFC Champions League winners Urawa Reds. This statement symbolized the identity of Al-Jazira under ten Cate.
The side continued to get results while rebuilding. Crucial to that
was ten Cate’s “single-tasking” approach. In his first season, Al- Jazira prioritized cup success over the league and the approach delivered a third President’s Cup title in the club’s history, and as a result an AFC Champions League spot despite finishing seventh in the league.
The following season, Al-Jazira were demolished by arch-rivals Al-Wahda 0-6 at the President’s Cup quarter-final. Two weeks later, they put on their league hat and thrashed the same opponents 5-1. The intent was clear and by May, Ten Cate’s men were celebrating the league title that paved the way to the upcoming historic Real Madrid clash.
Win or lose, Al Jazira have come a long way under their Dutch mastermind. And with their place in the competition’s history sealed as the first ever Emirati semifinalists, the Dutchman writes his own name in the club’s hall of fame as their best coach of all times.
Back in December 2015 “The Pride of Abu Dhabi” were a rag-tag team of has-beens and never-weres, struggling to see off their UAE rivals, let alone beating some of the world’s best clubs sides.
But they find themselves ready to face Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. thanks to a remarkable turnaround and, more specifically, after beating Asian champions Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday.
They have become the first Emirati team to reach the last four of the tournament — the host nation’s representatives qualified for the competition after winning the 2016-17 Arabian Gulf League, and began their campaign with a 1-0 win over New Zealand’s Auckland City.
Rewind 24 months and tonight’s scene — lining up to take on the most famous club in world football — would have been unimaginable even for the most optimistic Al-Jazira fan.
Granted Al-Jazira did not win the AFC Champions League, but instead benefited from FIFA’s selection of the UAE as host country for the third time in the competition’s history. However, to get to this stage, Al-Jazira had to undergo a complete makeover.
When minnows Al-Dhafra scored two first-half goals to beat Al-Jazira 2-1, Brazilian coach Abel Brage knew his time at the club was over. A seventh defeat in 13 matches left the side in tenth place in the 14-team league table.
Sure enough, Braga was let go and an intriguing appointment was made; Dutchman Henk ten Cate had worked as an assistant coach to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona and to Avram Grant at Chelsea. His most notable success until then was winning domestic cups in Hungary and the Netherlands.
Upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi, ten Cate inherited a crumbling squad. The team had just lost talisman Manuel Lanzini to West Ham and key midfielder Khamis Esmail to Dubai’s Al-Ahli. An aging foreign quartet was recruited, and ten Cate was unimpressed.
“We decided to wave goodbye to some players who were not fighting for the team colors,” he remembers.
“We welcomed new players from the academy and this became part of our identity.”
The club’s budget was being stretched by highly-paid has-beens who were more interested in getting paid than in playing football. In his first six months at the club, ten Cate axed Jefferson Farfan, Angel Lafita, Thiago Neves and Kenwyne Jones, all of whom were on the wrong side of 30. Instead he focused on promoting youth from within.
When Al-Jazira defeated Auckland City last week, 19-year-old Eisa Al-Otaibah was partnered by 20-year-old Mohamed Al-Attas at the heart of midfield. It was testament to the success of the Dutchman’s approach and his continued belief in homegrown talent.
“We may not have the best players, but we have the best team. We play with a lot of passion and we like to always be that way,” said the 63-year-old, ahead of Saturday’s win over AFC Champions League winners Urawa Reds. This statement symbolized the identity of Al-Jazira under ten Cate.
The side continued to get results while rebuilding. Crucial to that
was ten Cate’s “single-tasking” approach. In his first season, Al- Jazira prioritized cup success over the league and the approach delivered a third President’s Cup title in the club’s history, and as a result an AFC Champions League spot despite finishing seventh in the league.
The following season, Al-Jazira were demolished by arch-rivals Al-Wahda 0-6 at the President’s Cup quarter-final. Two weeks later, they put on their league hat and thrashed the same opponents 5-1. The intent was clear and by May, Ten Cate’s men were celebrating the league title that paved the way to the upcoming historic Real Madrid clash.
Win or lose, Al Jazira have come a long way under their Dutch mastermind. And with their place in the competition’s history sealed as the first ever Emirati semifinalists, the Dutchman writes his own name in the club’s hall of fame as their best coach of all times.
