Karel Jarolim sacked as Al Wahda coach

Czech the fifth Arabian Gulf League club coach to be fired this season.

Karel Jarolim was fired after Al Wahda’s 3-2 loss to Al Shaab in the League Cup on Thursday. Marwan Naamani / AFP
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ABU DHABI // Karel Jarolim became the fifth Arabian Gulf League (AGL) manager to lose his job this season when Al Wahda decided to part ways with the Czech on Saturday.

Wahda’s 3-2 loss to Al Shaab in the League Cup on Thursday was Jarolim’s final game in charge.

“The performance of the team has not reached a satisfactory level and the technical committee felt it is better to change the coach now when Wahda are still in with a chance in all competitions,” an official at the club said.

“We have had some poor results in both the league and the League Cup. The coach has not been able to motivate the players and the last four games have been very frustrating and disappointing for us.”

The Abu Dhabi club are in eighth place in the league table on eight points after six games, but had not won in three attempts. They sit second bottom in Group A of the League Cup with three points from four games.

Jarolim arrived on a two-year deal in the summer after Wahda had parted ways with Branko Ivankovic towards the end of 2012/13 and brought back Josef Hickersberger, their former coach, to lead them for the final four games of the season.

Majed Salem, the reserve league coach, has been appointed as caretaker manager. Wahda’s next game is against Sharjah in the League Cup on Thursday, whom they lost to 2-1 in the AGL last month.

Last week, Dubai dismissed their Swiss coach Martin Rueda. He joined Jorge Fossati (Al Ain), Laurent Banide (Al Wasl) and Luis Milla (Jazira) on the list of coaches who have already lost their jobs this season.

apassela@thenational.ae