Majed Naser backtracks as Al Wasl accepts his apology

Dubai // Majed Naser, the Al Wasl goalkeeper, apologised for his criticism of the team last week and said he wants to remain with the club.

After Wasl's 2-1 loss to Dubai in their last Pro League match, a disappointed Naser said in a post-match television interview that he was getting tired of finishing on the losing side and, if the management permitted, he would rather leave for another team.

"I hope the management holds the negligent players accountable [for the defeat]," Naser said.

"It was a really poor performance by the players, and if they are not held accountable then the management should allow me to leave."

Following that statement, the club management held a "frank talk" with the national team goalkeeper, and Naser immediately expressed his regrets over his choice of words.

"I started my career with Al Wasl and I will continue with them," Naser said in a statement released by the club.

"I am really happy here and whatever I have achieved is due to the support of the club.

"I regret the comments I made, but those words came out only because of my love for Al Wasl; I get really disappointed when we lose.

"But I apologise for my statement and admit that, when disappointed, I should be expressing it in front of my colleagues and not TV cameras."

The Wasl management have accepted Naser's apology, and a club statement said: "The administration always stands by the players, and we consider Majed Naser as one of the most important pillars of our team.

"We understand the mental state of the player when he made that statement - it came just after a disappointing loss - and we accept his apology, but hope the players will take care and avoid getting into similar situations in the future."

Elsewhere:

• Wasl have agreed to send Fadel Ahmed on loan to Ajman until the end of the season. The left-winger, voted the best player of the 2009/10 Gulf Club Champions Cup when Wasl won the title, has failed to find a regular spot in Diego Maradona's team. He will be looking to get some first team action when he lands at Ajman.

• Ajman have also signed a deal with Al Jazira for their 21-year-old defender Mohammed Salem, who has been playing in the reserve league. Salem has been unable to find a place in the defending champions' first team.

• Al Ahli are still hunting for a replacement for Jakson Coelho, with club sources indicating they are looking at five different players, including a couple of African players currently playing in Europe. The fate of Coelho, who returned home without permission last month, is in limbo as the offers from his former club, Trabzonspor, and the Turkish giant Galatasaray, are less than the €4.5 million (Dh21m) that Ahli paid for him. The club are also undecided about the future of their Chilean playmaker, Luis Jimenez, who has lost his place to Ahmed Khalil in the squad. A few local clubs seem to be interested, but Ahli are unwilling to sell him at a loss.

• Al Shabab's Brazilian playmaker Ciel will be travelling to Qatar for medical tests and rehabilitation at the Aspire Academy in Doha after limping out of the Pro League match against Al Ain on Wednesday with an ankle injury. Ciel has scored six goals this season.

• Vandinho has returned to the Sharjah squad after being replaced by the Serbian defender, Igor Duric, in the final days of the last transfer window. The Brazilian decided to stay in the country and train with the squad, and Jorvan Vieira, the coach, has now registered him instead of Duric.

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