Monday 18 March 2013

Boss in the dark as Al Jazira suspend star 'indefinitely'

Al Jazira coach Luis Milla appears to have been left in the dark over the club’s decision to suspend midfielder Yaser Matar indefinitely.

The 27-year-old younger brother of Al Wahda and UAE forward Ismail Matar, was not in the squad for Sunday's 4-4 Etisalat Cup draw with Al Dhafra.

He has been told he will not be considered for first-team action for the foreseeable future due to a “lack of seriousness in the performance of his duties as a professional football player”.

However, when quizzed on Matar’s future following Jazira’s remarkable eight-goal thriller at the Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium, Milla seemed to be under the impression he was injured.

“He has been working with us, the other day he had a problem in his knee and he did not travel with the team,” the Spaniard said.

When it was confirmed to him that Matar had been suspended, Milla replied: “That’s something for the club.”

Matar, who signed for the club from Al Wahda in 2010 and has a contract until 2018, was a pivotal member of the team that secured Jazira’s first-ever Pro League title in the 2010/11 season but a knee injury sustained at the end of that campaign has restricted his involvement.

The midfielder has played only 11 Pro League games since then and has featured just once in Milla’s five-game reign – a 70th-minute substitute appearance against Al Ain on March 3.

Jazira released a statement on Sunday revealing they had decided to suspend Matar “in order to preserve (an) adequate atmosphere for the first team under new coaching staff. The (club has) decided to suspend Yaser Matar indefinitely on the recommendation of first team administration, and due to lack of seriousness in the performance of his duties as a professional football player.”

One player Milla was able to call on was former Manchester City trainee Sultan Al Suwaidi as the right-back was handed a second-half debut in Madinat Zayed.

While Jazira ultimately conceded four goals, three while the 19-year-old was on the pitch, Al Suwaidi put in a composed performance and it was his cross that Ali Msarri turned into his own net to make it 3-3. Milla was happy to blood the youngster but warned there was still hard work ahead.

“We’re a team that needs a lot of players, to show their quality. But it’s good for us that we have the possibility to have young players close to the team like Sultan,” he said. “Sultan and Dada played well and they need to keep on working and getting better.”

READ MORE:

- Al Dhafra 4-4 Al Jazira: Milla's wait for a first win goes on

- Al Jazira and Al Ain rule out moves for Chelsea skipper Terry

 

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