Maradona Sacked By Dubai Club

Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona has been sacked by United Arab Emirates club Al-Wasl after only 14 months in charge.

The 1986 World Cup winner arrived in Dubai on a lucrative contract in May 2011, but could only manage to take Al-Wasl to eighth place in the 12-team UAE Pro-League which resulted in the club’s board resigning.

The 51-year-old, who coached Argentina at the 2010 World Cup, was not given the chance to continue his two-year tenure by the new board.

“Following a meeting held by the board of directors of Al Wasl Football Company held today to evaluate the technical staff of Al Wasl Football Team … it was decided to terminate the services of coach Diego Maradona and his technical staff,” the club said in a statement on Tuesday.

Al-Wasl has won the UAE league title seven times, but not since 2007.

Under Maradona, the club won just seven of 22 league games and lost in the quarterfinals of the UAE President’s Cup and the final of the Gulf Clubs Champions League.

In March, Maradona angrily confronted fans who abused his wife and friends during a match, and Al-Wasl issued an apology which condemned the supporters’ actions.

Maradona is one of the greatest players in soccer history, having starred for Barcelona and Napoli, but his career was marred by controversy over drug use and he suffered from subsequent health problems.

CNN