Attracting global stars to the UAE league .. between dream and reality

A number of athletes called for the necessity of setting clear and specific criteria for the initiative launched by the Professional Association, aimed at supporting clubs that seek to attract international stars from experience and extensive reputation in the world of football to join the ADNOC Professional League.

They warned of the possibility of financial chaos in the event of this support without setting strict and binding controls, ensuring the organization of the process and achieving its goals without harming the financial balance of the clubs.

The athletes suggested, during statements through “Emirates Today”, the necessity of a wide participation of sports leaders, sports councils, club officials and sponsors in discussing the details of the initiative launched by the association, with a strict regulatory framework, which includes accurate criteria for choosing international players.

On the sidelines of the ADNOC Professional League and Abu Dhabi Islamic Cup, the League approved a financial support for club support, which succeeds in bringing in international players’ deals that contribute to enriching local competition, technically and publicly.

For his part, sports analyst Khaled Obaid praised the initiative launched by the Professional Association, which aims to attract shiny names from international football stars to enhance the attractiveness of the UAE professional league, stressing that the move represents a positive trend that is in the interest of the competition technically and publicly, provided that they are implemented according to a clear vision and accurate criteria.

Obaid said: “The success of this proposal requires strict foundations for the selection of the targeted stars, including several factors, such as the actual age of the player when contracting, the number of international participation, and his history in European or Latin stadiums, as well as an accurate evaluation of his performance in recent years, and the clubs that he represented.”

He added: «Based on these criteria, the clubs will be able to contract with players who are able to provide the required addition, and avoid repeating unsuccessful experiences, such as the experience of the Spanish star Andres Iniesta with the Emirates Club, which did not rise to the aspirations, as it became clear that the player came to end his career in a less competitive environment, without leaving an artistic imprint.

Despite some experiences that did not achieve the desired success, Obaid pointed out that the Emirati league witnessed successful stations with international stars who have caused a remarkable influence, explaining: “The experience of the Argentine legend Diego Maradona cannot be ignored when he took over the training of Al Wasl Club in 2011, as he contributed to the global lights on the league, especially from the Latin press, along with prominent names, such as the Italians Luka Tony And Fabio Cannavaro, who left a good impact during their period of state stadiums. ”

He concluded by saying: “The polarization of stars can constitute a qualitative addition to the Emirati league, but the real success depends on proper planning and studied choice, to ensure the achievement of the desired technical and promotional goals.”

For his part, the international lecturer in the Football Association, Omar Al -Hammadi, affirmed that, since the start of the Professional League, a clear fluctuation in their foreign deals, indicating that contracting with players in the summer transfer period, then dispensing with them in the winter period, or vice versa, is an indication of the weak technical evaluation system, and the absence of strategic planning within club departments.

Al -Hammadi said: “This repeated fluctuation in the file of foreigners has exhausted the budgets, and reduced the chances of building stable teams and capable of sustainable competition, in addition to the negative impact that affects local players, who find themselves among a volatile technical system, which is constantly changing without clear justifications.”

Al -Hammadi described the position of the Professional Association to support clubs in attracting international stars as an ambitious step, which can make a qualitative shift in the league level, but at the same time it is a careful and sensitive project, which must be dealt with with high professionalism, and within a deliberate plan far from the rush and the desire to achieve rapid glories.

He continued: “The success of this initiative depends on the extent of seriousness in its application, and the ability to convert stars into real development tools, not just names that fill the press titles without an actual impact on the field.”

He pointed out that «attracting stars should not be a target in itself, but rather a way to develop general performance, raise the quality of competition, develop the level of national players, and enhance the idea of building teams characterized by stability and continuity.

The former international player, Youssef Abdel Aziz, stressed that the professional association’s initiative comes in line with the developments taking place in the most prominent international leagues, as the stars have become a decisive element, whether at the technical, public, and even economic levels, if the contract file is dealt with with high professionalism.

Abdulaziz said that the true value of the stars is not limited to their performance on the stadium, but also extends to their ability to achieve rewarding financial returns for clubs, in the event that purchases and sale operations are managed according to a studied strategy that enhances club resources and contributes to their financial sustainability.

He continued: “The Emirati league was a race at the Arab and Asian levels in attracting bright names globally,” citing previous experiences, such as Al -Jazira’s contract with the international star George Weh, and Al -Jahra Al -Ja`niyah with the Ghanaian Obaidi Pele, and the youth of Al -Ahly with the Iranian Ali Daei.

He pointed out that “attracting bright names is no longer a condition as much as the importance of the technical value of the player,” calling for clear criteria for the recruitment of players, on top of which is that the player be international, and represents a team of advanced teams in the FIFA classification.

Abdulaziz concluded his speech by noting that the ADNOC Professional League has a competitive advantage that may contribute to the success of this initiative, which is the global reputation that the UAE enjoys in terms of security, stability and quality of life, which makes it an attractive destination for the stars looking for an integrated professional environment inside and outside the stadium.

• The Professional Association approved a financial support initiative in global deals.