The first 10 rounds of the UAE First Division League have revealed a lack of clarity regarding which teams are the closest contenders for the two promotion spots to the Pro League. This is due to the general decline in the technical level of most matches, especially direct encounters between leading teams, which has led to a drop in attendance, except for matches involving 'United' and 'Fujairah'. 'Dibba Al-Hisn' leads the league standings with 19 points, followed by 'Fujairah' and 'United' with 17 points each. Then come 'Hatta' and 'Emirates' (The Falcons), with 16 points each. Next are 'Al-Arabi' and 'Al-Zayed' with 15 points, 'Al-Hamria' with 14, 'Gulf United' with 13, 'City' with 12, 'Al-Jazira Al-Hamra' with 11, 'Al-Urooba' with 10, and 'Majd' and 'Masfout' with 5 points each. 'Al-Ittihad' is in last place with only 3 points.
Lack of Identity Despite 10 rounds being played, the identities of the two teams most likely to be promoted remain unclear, especially given the modest results of prominent teams like 'Al-Urooba', which was relegated from the Pro League, and 'Al-Hamria', which is stacked with a number of star players. This also applies to 'United', which is led by Italian star Andrea Pirlo.
'United Pirlo' 'United', coached by Italian Andrea Pirlo, is in third place with 17 points. Despite the club's support with distinguished players, including Swiss international Haris Seferovic and former national team players Habib Al-Fardan and Tarik Ahmed, alongside a group of foreign professionals, the team is still performing below expectations. This was evident in their heavy 0-4 defeat to Fujairah.
Inconsistent Performance The past 10 rounds have shown a clear inconsistency in the performance of all league teams. No team has avoided defeat, including the leader 'Dibba Al-Hisn', which suffered two losses. The same applies to second-placed Fujairah, United, and 'Al-Hamria', whose goal is guarded by national team player Majed Nasser. This also includes 'Al-Urooba', which occupies a low position in the table. Additionally, a number of prominent players have not shown the expected level of performance.
Decline in Coach Sackings Compared to previous seasons, the current season has seen the fewest coach sackings after 10 rounds, except for 'Dibba Al-Hisn', which hired Portuguese coach Bruno to replace Tariq Al-Sayed, and 'Al-Urooba', which brought in Serbian coach Alexander Ilić instead of Portuguese Andrea Jasmines. Also, 'Majd' handed the reins to goalkeeping coach Sherif Al-Jundi, replacing the resigned Issa Al-Ali.
National Coaches National coaches continue to shine with their teams, achieving positive results, though their performance varies from round to round due to injuries and the pressure of the match schedule. Among them, Waleed Abid, coach of Hatta, stands out as a strong candidate for promotion. Also noteworthy are Dr. Abdullah Masfur, coach of 'Al-Arabi'; Badar Tabib, coach of 'Emirates'; and Fahd Ahmed, coach of 'City'. 'Masfout', led by Rashid Amer, needs more support to achieve its ambitions.
Match Irregularity The postponement of several matches, along with the waiting system adopted in each round, has led to an irregular schedule for teams. This has negatively affected the rhythm of play and disrupted the plans of technical staff, including fitness coaches. This calls for a review of match timings and a strengthening of the principle of equal opportunity.
A Distinctive Goalscorer 'Fujairah's' player and last season's top scorer, Sandor Benbshir, continues his scoring brilliance, topping the list of top scorers with 12 goals, which is more than half of his team's total of 23 goals.
Al-Zayed's Brilliance 'Al-Zayed', led by Algerian coach Fouad Bumedjel, has succeeded in delivering technically distinguished and entertaining matches that have had a clear impact on the course of the competition. The team is in sixth place with 15 points and could have been higher had its performance not been affected by significant injuries. Among its most prominent results are wins against 'Al-Arabi', 'Al-Urooba', and 'City', which possess good technical potential.
