Babalola Oluwatomiwa
Social Member
Coach Zlatko Dalic has urged Al Ain fans to exercise patience with former Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike, after playing a couple of games for the UAE side without scoring a goal.
The former Nigerian international booed by the fans when he was substituted in the team’s last league game against Al Jazira, which ended 2-0 and the manager has said that winning the game was more important, regardless of who scored.
“I cannot be happy with the reaction of some people. We won, we played fantastic and some people criticised Emenike," Dalic said.
"Please, our fans, be patient, give time, give everyone a chance, to me, to my team, to Emenike. It’s not easy, but we didn’t deserve this reaction, especially after the Jazira game. It was very bad.
“I understand our fans always want a fantastic performance, always five goals. It’s not possible. Please, support our team and our players will play better. In the last game, in front of 15,000 people, my players were fantastic. I expect it to always be like this and they support our team.
“The last game we won Emenike was part of our victory. For me, he played very well, did a great job, but only missed scoring a goal. Maybe it was Emenike’s best performance for me. I know everyone expects more goals, expects him to be a replacement for Asamoah Gyan. As I told you on his first day, it’s not easy to replace Gyan.
“If somebody needs criticism, criticise me, not my players. Because I put him in the team, I put him on the pitch, I will take everything on my back. But give support to my players.”
Al Ain have been the season’s early pacesetters, taking full points from six of their seven league matches thus far. Last month’s 2-1 defeat to Al Wahda, in which Emenike scored, represents their only defeat in the league this campaign.
Dalic said he expects his side to continue to fight for top spot until the league stops on December 26 for its winter break. Africanfootball
The former Nigerian international booed by the fans when he was substituted in the team’s last league game against Al Jazira, which ended 2-0 and the manager has said that winning the game was more important, regardless of who scored.
“I cannot be happy with the reaction of some people. We won, we played fantastic and some people criticised Emenike," Dalic said.
"Please, our fans, be patient, give time, give everyone a chance, to me, to my team, to Emenike. It’s not easy, but we didn’t deserve this reaction, especially after the Jazira game. It was very bad.
“I understand our fans always want a fantastic performance, always five goals. It’s not possible. Please, support our team and our players will play better. In the last game, in front of 15,000 people, my players were fantastic. I expect it to always be like this and they support our team.
“The last game we won Emenike was part of our victory. For me, he played very well, did a great job, but only missed scoring a goal. Maybe it was Emenike’s best performance for me. I know everyone expects more goals, expects him to be a replacement for Asamoah Gyan. As I told you on his first day, it’s not easy to replace Gyan.
“If somebody needs criticism, criticise me, not my players. Because I put him in the team, I put him on the pitch, I will take everything on my back. But give support to my players.”
Al Ain have been the season’s early pacesetters, taking full points from six of their seven league matches thus far. Last month’s 2-1 defeat to Al Wahda, in which Emenike scored, represents their only defeat in the league this campaign.
Dalic said he expects his side to continue to fight for top spot until the league stops on December 26 for its winter break. Africanfootball