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Dubai: Monday will mark the end of an era in UAE football with the closing ceremony for the 2007-2008 season, the last season conducted as amateur soccer, as next season sees the league turn professional.
Last season was one of the longest in UAE football history stretching nine months from the President's Cup preliminary round in September to May with the last league matches.
"It was a long season," acknowledged Yousuf Abdullah, the new FA manager.
"However during the season, the UAE achieved some excellent successes - the national team reached the final round of the World Cup qualifiers for the Asian zone, Al Jazira club won the GCC title, and Al Wahda reached the semifinals of the Asian champions league."
Yousuf Abdullah congratulated the clubs who won titles last season - Al Shabab (the League), Al Ahli (President's Cup), Al Khaleej (Second Division) and Ajman (runner up.
"The new professional league which kicks off next season will be a big boost to develop our soccer and contribute in our national team reaching the 2010 World Cup finals and for clubs to clinch the Asian Champion's league," said the FA manager.
Major titles
Al Shabab and Al Ahli were the champions of the major trophies (League and President's Cup) last season.
Al Khaleej won the second division league title and Ajman finished runner up, both clubs promoted to play in the professional league next season. Hatta and Emirates club were relegated to the Second Division after finishing at the bottom of the standings.
Al Jazira club achieved success for UAE soccer when they won the GCC clubs championships, beating Al Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia in the final following a penalty shoot-out. It was some compensation for the Abu Dhabi based club after losing the league title.
Last season also witnessed a fair share of controversies, none more than the 'The Majid Naser Problem', which resulted in the resignation of the FA board chairman Yousuf Al Sarkal who had held the presidency seat for five years.
Majid Naser, the Al Wasl goalkeeper, hit the assistant referee in their first league match and the tournament's committee suspended him for 13 matches.
However, an appeals committee reduced the ban to five matches and the problems began. The case was escalated to Fifa who decided to support the appeals committee decision. Al Sarkal resigned and a new board chaired by Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi was elected last month.
- The season began on September 20 and finished on May 25, it lasted 249 days due to the national team's commitments.
- Al Shabab clinched the league title following a tough season. They drew goalless with Al Jazira in their last match to secure the point they needed to be crowned champions.
- Al Dhafra from the Western region of Abu Dhabi fought hard to stay on the top flight for the second successive year and play in the professional league next season.
- Al Khaleej and Ajman who were promoted from the second division will be very lucky to play in the professional league next season while relegated clubs Emirates and Hatta are unlucky to miss the first edition of the professional league.
- As the professional league will start next season, the FA decided to promote the second division as first division for the 2008-2009 season and will form a second division for the 2009-2010 season.
- The professional league season will kick off on September 15 with the Super Cup match between the league champions Al Shabab and President's Cup champions Al Ahli.
Best players:
- Mohammad Al Sheh'hi the Al Wahda and UAE striker is favoured to win the best player award of the season. Esmail Rabea the Al Shabab goalkeeper is also favoured to win the best goalkeeper award.
- Faisal Khalil the Al Ahli striker and Brazilian Anderson of Sharjah, both won the top goalscorer award, each of them scored 16 goals.
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