Al Bataeh’s poor run leaves Majidi on the brink: Report
Al Bataeh head coach Farhad Majidi could be the next manager to be shown the exit door by his club in the UAE Pro League after a disappointing start to the new season, according to a report from Dubai-based newspaper Al Bayan.
The 49-year-old Iranian took charge of struggling Al Bataeh midway through last season and guided the club to safety in the Emirati top flight, recording five wins and four draws from 14 games to finish 11 points clear of the relegation zone.
However, Majidi’s side has endured a woeful run of results this season and currently sits third from bottom in the 14-team table on three points, just two above the relegation zone.
Al Bataeh was also knocked out by Shabab Al Ahli in the shootout in the UAE President’s Cup last 16 on Saturday.
“The wave of coach dismissals in the league continues,” headlined the Al Bayan report.
“Three head coaches have already been axed by their clubs. The first dismissal involved Hussein Ammouta, the Moroccan head coach of Al Jazira. The second was Ivaylo Petev, the Bulgarian boss of bottom club Baniyas, and now, a third head coach has been shown the exit door: None other than Bruno Pereira, the Portuguese coach of Dibba SCC,” wrote the newspaper.
“The number is expected to grow even further. Sharjah’s Serbian coach Milos Milojevic is likely to be the fourth, with the shadow of dismissal looming over his head following his team’s 5-0 home defeat against Iran’s Tractor last time out in the AFC Champions League Elite.
“Farhad Majidi, the head coach of Al Bataeh, is the fifth manager to come under pressure due to poor results. Al Bataeh currently sits in 12th place in the league table with just one win from its first six matches, with the only victory coming in the second round of matches against Khor Fakkan,” Al Bayan wrote of the Iranian coach, whose team is on a five-game losing run.
Next up for Majidi and his team is an away game against six-placed Al Jazira in the league on Saturday.