The head of United Arab Emirates soccer says the recently fired Diego Maradona should have been given more time to turn around his Al Wasl club.

Yousuf al-Sarkal, the president of the UAE Football Association, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that one year was not enough to elevate the Dubai club from the middle of the standings . He says the club's failure to win any trophies cannot be solely blamed on the former Argentina great. He said it was a ''collective work involving the coach, players and management.''

Maradona was fired Tuesday after one season in charge, having signed a two-year deal in May 2011. The team finished eighth in the 12-team league, and the club's board of directors resigned in June following the poor season.

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