DUBAI: If the UAE Football Association’s bold plan comes to fruition, 2025 will be remembered as the year unfulfilled dreams became reality.
After nearly a decade of recurring speculation, the widely respected Cosmin Olaroiu was finally unveiled this weekend as the Whites’ new head coach on a two-year deal. Last month’s surprise dismissal of ex-Portugal boss Paulo Bento has allowed the garlanded Romanian space to arrive on the back of a decorated career in Asia, featuring 14 trophies won during 10 campaigns in the UAE — plus five further successes with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, Qatar’s Al-Sadd and China’s now-defunct Jiangsu Suning.
That this imposing tally could be further added to next month in the finals of the AFC Champions League Two and President’s Cup when gloriously seeing out his Sharjah tenure, as reported by local daily newspapers Al-Khaleej and Al-Bayan, speaks volumes about the 55-year-old managerial behemoth.
There could be no one more qualified, or longer coveted, to resuscitate his adopted country’s ambition of direct entry to World Cup 2026 from third place in the third round’s Group A.
A high-pressure pair of deciding qualifiers feature a must-win home clash on June 5 against Uzbekistan — who are four-points clear in the second-and-final automatic spot — and a face-off at second-bottom Kyrgyzstan five days later.
Time would always be in short supply for Bento’s replacement once the decision was made to axe him the morning after March’s deeply unconvincing, last-gasp 2-1 win against bottom-placed North Korea. The annual rigours of May’s compact fixture list guarantees it.
Olaroiu has unmatched knowledge of the Whites’ squad and an enviable winning touch. This is the man to secure the UAE only a second outing in football’s grandest event.
Since the shine began to wear off a “Golden Generation” during World Cup 2018’s fitful cycle, Olaroiu’s name would always appear in conjunction with the UAE job.
The former Al-Ain and Al-Ahli/Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club supremo was cast as the alluringly unattainable target when eight permanent managerial selections — including two stints for Bert van Marwijk — were made since Mahdi Ali stepped aside in March 2017.
This time, however, felt different.
Unease defined Bento’s 20-month spell. No one could question a CV that contained a Euro 2012 semi-final with Portugal or record four-year stint at South Korea that culminated with World Cup 2022’s first round-of-16 tie since 2010’s edition.
Undoubted highlights followed with two maulings of perennial rivals Qatar, especially November’s Fabio De Lima-fueled 5-0 victory.
Yet plentiful contrasting memories existed. A 2023 Asian Cup exit in the round of 16 on penalties to debutant Tajikistan, October’s grim 1-1 home draw with North Korea that has caused such lasting damage in the third round and winless group-stage exit from 26th Arabian Gulf Cup.
Last month’s toothless 2-0 qualifying defeat in Iran also featured a shock switch to an unfamiliar 5-4-1 formation. Days later at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium, composed Uzbekistan equipped themselves expertly in a characterful 2-2 draw that leaves them in control of their qualifying destiny, no matter the UAE’s results.
At the UAE FA’s Al Khawaneej headquarters, uncertainty surrounded Bento’s ability to steer the team. There were doubts not only related to securing automatic qualification, but also about navigating the intricate back-up route, which could involve two additional AFC rounds and an intercontinental play-off.
The stars aligned and with Olaroiu soon unattached at Sharjah, a once-fantasy appointment swiftly materialized.
A deep understanding of the ubiquitous 4-2-3-1 formation deployed in the Middle East and the characters required to make it tick fell heavily in the Romanian’s favour. There are further unquantifiable, but vital, elements involved.
Chief among them is winning spirit. A rare ability to inspire it was on display, once again, earlier this month when Sharjah produced two second-half stoppage time goals in the second leg of an exacting AFC CL tie against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Taawoun to proceed into next month’s final with Lion City Sailors of Singapore.
The King will also not fear a meeting with runaway ADNOC Pro League leaders Shabab Al-Ahli in the 2024-2025 President’s Cup decider.
Sharjah’s Shahin Abdulrahman, Majid Rashid, Mohammed Abdulbasit and Majed Hassan were curiously ignored by Bento. Future recalls would not be a surprise.
The club’s Brazil-born trio of Caio, Marcus Meloni and Luanzinho should grow into pivotal figures within the national set-up. Olaroiu will bolster their inductions.
Will an olive branch also be offered to 85-goal UAE record scorer Ali Mabkhout, rejuvenated at Al-Nasr? The 34-year-old was an unused substitute at the 2023 Asian Cup.
Al-Wasl talisman Ali Saleh was another to fall foul of Bento’s regime who has the unquestionable talent to be a lead figure once more in white.
So far, so perfect. The only blemish on Olaroiu’s record is a lack of international experience.
A small taste came on loan with Saudi Arabia at the 2015 Asian Cup. His Green Falcons were brought down to earth by a group-stage exit in the wake of losses to China and Uzbekistan.
Rather than be cast purely in a negative light, a natural-born winner’s unquenched desire to prove himself on the global stage could be to the UAE’s significant benefit.
At long last, a most-anticipated coaching appointment has been secured.
In Olaroiu, the Whites gain a proven winner and sharp tactician, trusted to deliver when it matters most. If history is to be made in June, his leadership could provide the spark to reignite a nation’s belief.
