Al Jazira FC agrees two-year contract extension with Marcel Keizer
Al Jazira FC are pleased to announce that Dutch first-team manager Marcel Keizer has signed a two-year deal with the Club. The new contract, which now runs to the summer of 2023, sees Keizer’s commitment to the Pride of Abu Dhabi extended to four years since joining the club in the summer of 2019.
Keizer, 52, rejoined Al Jazira with high ambitions for a second stint at the Club at the start of the 19-20 season and has since led the team to the pinnacle of UAE football by securing the team’s third Arabian Gulf League title in its decorated history and the first since 2017.
Speaking on Keizer’s contract renewal, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Al Jazira Club Vice President and Chairman of the Executive Committee said: “We are very pleased to renew Marcel’s Keizer’s contract with our club. In Marcel, we have a master strategic tactician who exemplifies our philosophy of slick, attacking style football while also implementing our vision of developing and relying on young local talent from our academy to ensure the Club’ stability and continuous success.”
His Excellency added: “Last season’s achievements speak for themselves and are a true testament of Marcel’s commitment and hard work for the Club. Marcel’s contract renewal signals the stability and long-term planning of our football club, which is thanks to a huge team effort off the pitch from everyone in the Al Jazira family. I am sure all the Pride of Abu Dhabi’s fans are as proud and happy as we are to continue seeing Marcel lead out the team for at least the next two seasons. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Club’s exemplary leadership and commitment to ensure the Club has the best foundations for success and excellence. I want to thank everyone who helped make this deal possible. We look forward to even greater success on both the domestic and continental stage in the seasons to come”.
During last season’s 26-match campaign, the Pride of Abu Dhabi first-team featured 17 academy graduates and recorded 17 wins along the way, only losing three times including just once at home while scoring a league-high 65 goals and achieving an incredible +36 goal difference. It is the most a team has scored in a season since Al Jazira’s last league title in 2016-2017.
During his second spell at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium, the former AFC Ajax midfielder recorded significant records along the way. Having managed 44 matches across all domestic competitions, he recorded a win rate of 61%. Depending on young local talent from the Club’s renowned academy, last season was particularly special for Marcel and the Club as they showcased their exciting attacking and teamwork style of football while recording 57 points
Speaking about his delight to extend his stay at Al Jazira, Marcel Keizer said: “Ever since my first day at this great Club, I have been made to feel very welcome and I am proud to call Abu Dhabi my second home. I am extremely proud of this moment today, and particularly as it comes after an exceptional season in which we were crowned deserved UAE champions. I want to thank the Club’s Vice President His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, all board members, backroom staff, players and fans for their trust in me. I believe Al Jazira and I are a perfect fit as we both possess a strong winning mentality and have massive ambitions to achieve great success. We have an exciting challenge ahead to retain the title next season and continue bringing joy to our passionate fans across Abu Dhabi and the UAE. I promise the fans we will continue evolving as a team and we will always give it our best in domestic competitions and the Asian Champions League, I cannot wait to achieve great success in the near future”.
Marcel Keizer will lead Al Jazira on their quest to defend their title in the 2021-22 season starting from September this year, and the club will also be representing the UAE in the upcoming season of the AFC Champions League, Asia’s premier football competition.
Starting his managerial career in 2007 at Dutch-club Argon, Keizer then went on to manage a number of clubs in his homeland before taking on league-record champions AFC Ajax in 2017. Following ten consecutive years at the helm of clubs in the Netherlands, the 52-year-old made his first international move to Al Jazira, followed by a one-season stint at current Portuguese league champions Sporting Lisbon where he won two domestic cups, before finally returning to Abu Dhabi once again in 2019.
Fans can send in their messages of support to Marcel Keizer via the Club’s official social media accounts – @Al_Jazira_FC (Instagram), @AlJazira_UAE_EN (Twitter) and AlJaziraFC (TikTok).
