UAE second division club has ex-Newcastle star boss and former Celtic striker
UAE second-division club Gulf United have got an ex-Newcastle player as boss and a former Celtic star playing up-front for them.
Gulf United came into existence in 2019, after being founded by a group of English coaches. The team began as an academy and has blossomed into a fully-fledged football side in recent years whilst still honing some of the region's finest talent aged 18 to 23.
And the club, who are the biggest scholarship provider in the Middle East, are managed by none other than Magpies legend Steven Taylor. The 37-year-old retired defender made 215 appearances for the Tyneside club between 2003 to 2016, and was named United's head coach in 2021. Under the Englishman, the Eagles soared from the third division into the second tier last season after defeating Fleetwood United, the sister club of Fleetwood Town, in last season's final.
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Taylor achieved the feat with a squad comprised of 49 nationalities, mostly African, who grew up with limited resources.
Speaking on how he and club help the players from disadvantaged backgrounds, he explained to the Chronicle Live: "The guys we've got now, especially with their backgrounds, we look after their football boots for them and make sure they've got the right kit and trainers for the gym.
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"They have everything they need here and that's thanks to the sponsors we've got, who basically fund everything for them. We house them and get them food every night so they're always looked after. They don't have to worry about anything now, which is the best thing. They can just concentrate on football."
But Taylor's latest recruit is fellow Englishman and ex-Hoops ace Gary Cooper who joined the club last week.
Cooper brings a rich pedigree to the club as he's the only player who's scored in the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup, Football League Trophy, FA Trophy, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and the Scottish top flight, along with the Conference National and Conference South division.
And now the Eagles will be hoping Taylor and Cooper can fire them to another promotion. They've got four more matches to play including one against Al-Hilal, who combined with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr side to take on Paris Saint-Germain in an exhibition match in January.
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