Coach Zlatko Dalic has spoken of his delight at the acquisitions of Amer Abdulrahman and Caio, believing the pair can catapult Al Ain back to glory in 2016/17.
The Boss lost their Arabian Gulf League (AGL) crown to fierce rivals Al Ahli last season after capitulating in the second half, while they were also beaten in the final of the President’s Cup by another old foe, Al Jazira.
Dalic’s men only tasted defeat once in the league before Christmas but lost four times in 2016, with a dismal period of three draws and one defeat in their final five matches gifting the title to the Red Knights. An agonising 7-6 penalty shootout defeat to Jazira followed in May, meaning the Boss added only last August’s Arabian Gulf Super Cup to the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium trophy cabinet.
However, Dalic is expecting that to change next season.
“Al Ain will be better and stronger in the new season,” Dalic told the club’s website.
“Caio and Amer possess high artistic value, they can add desire and help to achieve the results that will lead this team to achieve the aspirations of the board and the club’s loyal fans. I am very happy that Amer and Caio are joining the list of stars we have at the club.”
Following a disappointing campaign and with the Croatian’s contract due to expire on June 1, it was expected Dalic would leave the Garden City this summer.
Despite their domestic season petering out though, his saving grace has been leading Al Ain from the brink of elimination to the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League, where they face Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv Tashkent in the first-leg next month.
Fortunes changed further for the 49-year-old coach when the previous club board was dissolved at the start of June following a distasteful television advert involving the club’s players.
In a rapid turnaround, Dalic then signed a new one-year deal, followed by midfielder Abdulrahman arriving from AGL rivals Bani Yas and Brazilian winger Caio joining from Japan’s Kashima Antlers.
And Dalic believes their additions can help the Boss return to glory both domestically and in Asia.
“The option to sign the players was based on the needs of the team and the requirements of the next stage and in light of the big challenges we face both locally and in the continental competition,” he said.
Winning a first Champions League title since 2003 for Al Ain is also something high on the agenda of Abdulrahman, the UAE international who signed with the club on his 27th birthday.
“The continental tournament is the biggest challenge for the team in the new season,” said Abdulrahman, who had spent 10 years with the Sky Blues. “It is currently the closest title for us to compete for and I hope we can achieve the objectives of the club and the happiness of our loyal fans in the coming season.”
