UAE FA head: Maradona needed more time

The head of United Arab Emirates football says the recently fired Diego Maradona should have been given more time to turn around his Al Wasl club. Yousuf Al-Sarkal, the president of the UAE Football Association, told The Associated Press yesterday that one year was not enough to elevate the Dubai club from the middle of the table and that the club’s failure to win any trophies cannot be solely blamed on the former Argentina great. He said it was a “collective work involving the coach, players and management.” Maradona was fired Tuesday after one season in charge, having signed a two-year deal in May 2011. The team finished eighth in the 12-team league, and the club’s board of directors resigned in June following the poor season. From arabnews