Al Jazira team manager Ahmed Al Marzouqi is convinced boss Henk ten Cate possesses a plan to get the club back on track.
The Pride of Abu Dhabi endured an abject start to the campaign as Abel Braga’s summer return went sour.
They went from second-placed finishers in 2014/15 under Eric Gerets to hovering above the relegation zone when the Brazilian was sacked in December.
Sunday’s come-from-behind win at Al Shabab was their third triumph in a row under successor Ten Cate and ex-player Al Marzouqi has been impressed by his impact.
He said: “The staff with Henk started building the team and he told me from the beginning: ‘Ahmed, the team needs points.’
“We had to start in a defensive way. He put a strategy in place from the first day about the team.
“They were out of fitness and they did not do well at the start of the season. With Abel Braga, it was not a good preparation.
“Now, the team has good quality players and we have seen a synergy between all the players. The young players have played many games and we are ready for the AFC Champions League (their Group C campaign begins next Wednesday at Iran’s Tractor Sazi).
“Everyone says we do not have a bench, but we have lots of good players. What you can see now is we have many players contributing.”
Despite Jazira’s upturn, they still remain a distant eighth in the Arabian Gulf League. This represents a poor return on the investment in a squad which contains €11 million (Dh45m) Brazil playmaker Thiago Neves, lethal UAE forward Ali Mabkhout and Cardiff City loanee Kenwyne Jones.
“We still have a lot to do, we have eight games left in the league and we need to do more,” Al Marzouqi said.
“We are still in a bad position.
“This is not our position for Jazira with all the facilities we have, players we have and the quality they have.
“It is not the place we should be. We are going to fight for a good place.
“We have the AFC Champions League coming up after the game at Bani Yas (on Thursday) and I think the team has full energy after winning three matches in a row.”
