Sparky’s Column

Hello Goodbye

The parting of ways between a coach and club is rarely amicable, usually one party or other is left wounded by the experience. The rare occasion that they do part on good terms can be an emotional one. The press conference to announce Quique Sanchez Flores' departure was an occasion filled with raw emotion. The Spaniard was close to tears as he announced that his time with the Red Knights had come to an end. He has left the club in rude health and as genuine contenders for the title next season. Flores has been very successful in his career as a coach and has the knack of leaving at just the right time. It means his reputation as a coach who gets results is intact. The risk for a big European coach coming to the UAE is that they become forgotten and a poor run of results in the Pro League can lead to the sack followed by a spell in the managerial wilderness. I think David O'Leary in a case in point and Walter Zenga will be hoping it does not end in the same way for him. Most in the game think Flores will walk into his next job and I wouldn't be surprised if he has several offers lined up.

The new man to replace Walter Zenga at Al Nasr could possibly be former Chelsea and Romanian international Dan Petrescu, if rumours are to be believed. I interviewed him at the end of last year during a football conference, he was over on holiday with his family and obviously fell in love with the city. The attraction of Dubai is the lifestyle the city offers, he is currently at Dynamo Moscow which many would argue is a lot bigger than Al Nasr but the slog of a Russian winter means a spell in the sun is very attractive for a coach.

Al Ahli's Ricardo Quaresma has not covered himself in glory since his move from Besiktas. The Portuguese international's career has slipped spectacularly in recent years. The former Inter, Porto, Barcelona and Chelsea winger seems lost with little hope of finding his was back to the top of the game. Football is littered with similar stories; Mido the Egyptian international retired this week at 30 years of age, Eric Djemba-Djemba a future Manchester United star disappeared, and Michael Johnson of Manchester City fell by the wayside. Footballers have short careers and there is nothing worse than a player who wastes his talent. I am afraid Quaresma is following the same path and Al Ahli will not be waving him off with the same fanfare as their departing coach.