DOHA: Rodolfo Martin Arruabarrena has resigned as head coach of Al Rayyan apologising for his non-availability for the remaining season, the Qatar’s football giants announced yesterday.
According to a tweet by the top QNB Stars League (QSL) side, Brazil’s Jose Sosa has been assigned the task as interim Al Rayyan coach.
Arruabarrena’s decision to quit Al Rayyan came within hours after the 2015-16 QSL champions suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to bottom-placed Al Khor, and amid reports that the Argentine had received an offer from another club.
Al Rayyan, who started the QSL season as one of the main title-contenders, also suffered a 5-0 hammering against rivals Al Sadd in Qatar Clasico last month.
Arruabarrena, 43, was appointed as Al Rayyan coach in July to replace former Danish great Michael Laudrup under whom ‘The Red Knights’ failed to win a major trophy last season.
However, Arruabarrena’s beginning as Al Rayyan coach in the QSL was unimpressive as they secured only 4 victories from their first 8 QSL games.
Meanwhile, Al Arabi ended the contract with Croatian coach Luka Bonacic and handed the charge to the club’s Under-23 coach Hatem Al Moaddeb.
The dismissal came in wake of Al Arabi’s 0-3 defeat to Al Gharafa in Week 8 of the QNB Stars League on Friday. Al Arabi Sports Club President Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Jabor Al Thani held discussions with Hatem on how to get the team back to the winning path. Hatem had led Al Arabi to second place in Qatargas league (Under-23) last season. He has coached many clubs in Tunisia and also in the Kuwaiti league.
Al Arabi have won four matches and lost as many to be on 12 points in this season’s QNB Stars League.
