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Al Jazira dismiss Vercauteren and sign with Caio Junior

Al Jazira Club held a press conference earlier on Thursday and announced the dismissal of the first team head coach Vercauteren and signed with the Brazilian Caio Junior who will take over the defending League champions for the rest of the season. Caio Junior will be in charge for the remainder of the season, with an option to renew.

Hamad Al Suwaidi, member of the Board of Directors, Head of the Club’s Professional Committee said: “The decision was not made on results, we don’t work this way. It was about harmony. It is not usual for Al Jazira to change a coach midseason.

“We had no choice,” said Al Suwaidi, “Vercauteren did not get along with the players. We tried to find harmony but failed. We had to change

“We have been looking for a new coach for three weeks. It is difficult to do this midseason. We had a number of names on a shortlist, but settled on Caio Junior a week ago. He has experience in the Gulf and has also played against Al Jazira.”

Al Suwaidi said the new manager is contracted until the end of the season, with the option to renew at the end of the campaign.

Ayed Mabkhout, Al Jazira’s first-team manager, said that the club had not been impressed with the way the team had performed this season.

“In previous seasons, even when Al Jazira lost, the team always played well,” he said. “However, this season, even when winning, the team was not performing. Vercauteren could not get a long run of wins together. We tried for solutions but none were found.”

With Al Jazira still in with a chance of winning all the four competitions they are involved in, Caio Junior believes they can take home some silverware this season.

“All competitions are important,” said Caio Junior, who has extensive experience of management in Brazil and spent two years with Al Gharafa, the Qatar Stars League side Al Gharafa.

“Al Jazira are the kind of club who should win every competition they enter. Al Sadd [the Qatari side] won the Champions League last season. I hope Al Jazira can follow them.

“I came close to winning the ACL with Al Gharafa but we lost an epic match with Al Hilal [two goals in the final three minutes of extra time in 2010 saw the Saudi side win 5-4 on aggregate in a quarter-final].”
Caio Junior’s first match in charge will be an Etisalat Cup semi-final against Al Shabab in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Caio Junior is hoping his experience of Gulf football and the fact he faced Jazira three times in the ACL will help him settle quickly.

“This is a very important time of the season,” he said. “A few days ago I was in Brazil negotiating. I always dreamed of coaching a big team like Jazira. I have a good idea of the Pro League and know the ambitions of the club. Jazira have good players who know how to handle the ball."