Misfir appointed interim UAE coach

Dr Abdullah Misfir, one of the earliest Emiratis to become a professional football coach, was on Saturday appointed as caretaker of the country’s national team. Misfir replaces Slovenian Srecko Katanec whose contract was terminated by the UAE FA following the team’s shock 3-1 loss to Lebanon in a 2014 World Cup qualifier last Tuesday. Misfir previously coached Al Arabi club in Umm Al Quwain and then worked as an assistant coach to Portugal’s Carlos Queiroz when he was in charge of the national team in the late 1990′s. He was appointed as caretaker when Queiroz was fired in Jordan in 1999 during the Pan Arab Games and then later led the team to win the Friendship Championship in Oman, beating Switzerland in the final. Misfir led A Division club Al Orooba to fight for promotion to the UAE Pro-League (UFL) last season before they narrowly fell short