Desert struggles

Caio Junior replaced Franky Vercautern as Al Jazira coach. Vercauteren has been replaced after just seven months on the job. The dismissal of Vercautern is the 58th managerial change since 2008. Vercauteren paid the price for the bad relations with his players and for the tactics he employed. Players criticized coach’s favourite 4-2-2-2 system, preferring the 4-2-3-1 they saw under Brazilian Abel Braga. Vercauteren's fire is just latest example about how hard is the life for foreign managers in UAE. Jorvan Vieira, David O'Leary,  Ioan Andone, Henk ten Cate all struggled. Pro League's owners are the kind of men who should win every competition. So the expectetions are highs. There is just one secret to avoid the sack as a coach in the UAE : win every single game. The policy of hiring and firing managers is usual here. Boards of directors put pressure on the coaches. Every manager in the country has to understand this culture. But the problems are also on the field. Some coaches, like Laszlo Boloni did in the past at Wahda, had trouble interacting with their players, adjusting their methods to the players' culture. Some coaches trained players too hard. Coaches are particularly vulnerable in the Pro-League because owners are often on the players' side and players are far from the professionalism. Coaches have not enough time and resources to success.