The 2008–09 UAE Pro League season was the 34th edition of top level football in the United Arab Emirates and started on 19 September 2008 until 24 May 2009.
Al-Ahli clinched the championship on the last day of the season, also qualifying for the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup as the host representative.
Al-Shabab were defending champions from the 2007–08 campaign.
Emirates and Hatta were relegated from the previous season. Ajman and Al-Khaleej were promoted from the second level.
The winners of the league qualified for the 2009 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup as the host representative.
Clubs
Club Coach Nationality City Stadium 2007–2008 season Notes Al-Shabab Toninho Cerezo Dubai Al Maktoum Stadium UAE League Champions AFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier Al-Jazira Abel Braga Abu Dhabi Al Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium 2nd in UAE League AFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier Al-Ahli Ivan Hašek Dubai Rashed Stadium 3rd in UAE League AFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier Al-Sharjah Youssef Al Zawawi Sharjah Sharjah Stadium 4th in UAE League AFC Champions League 2009 Qualifier Al-Shaab Luka Peruzović Sharjah Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium 5th in UAE League 2008–09 Arab Champions League Qualifier - Later Withdrew Al-Ain Winfried Schäfer Al Ain Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium 6th in UAE League Al-Wasl Miroslav Beránek Dubai Zabeel Stadium 7th in UAE League Al-Wahda Ahmad Abdulhaleem Abu Dhabi Al-Nahyan Stadium 8th in UAE League Al-Nasr Luka Bonačić Dubai Al-Maktoum Stadium 9th in UAE League Al-Dhafra Mohammad Kwid Dhafra Al Dhafra Stadium 10th in UAE League Ajman Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader Ajman Ajman Stadium Promoted Al-Khaleej Sammir Juwaili Khor Fakkan Al Baladi Stadium Promoted
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Replaced by Al-Wasl Miroslav Beranek SackedAl Wasl sack Czech coach Hélio dos Anjos Al-Wahda Ahmad Abdulhaleem SackedAustrian coach for faltering Wahda Josef Hickersberger Al-Dhafra Mohammad Kwid ResignedKwid resigns Eid Baroot Al-Sharjah Youssef Al Zawawi Resigned after 11 gamesSharjah setback ahead of play-off Toni Oliveira Al-Wasl Hélio dos Anjos Sacked Jaroslav Horák Ajman Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader Sacked Ajman replace coach Al-Sharjah Toni Oliveira Sacked after 'poor results' Beleaguered Sharjah sack coach Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader Al-Ahli Ivan Hašek Quit after winning championship Hasek quits as Ahli coachhttp://www.the-afc.com/en/news-centre/member-association-news/279-ir-iran/24680-madanchi-joins-uae-champs-ahli Romanian Ioan Andone replaced Czech Ivan Hasek last month (June) Ioan Andone
Foreign players
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Former players Ajman Ali Samereh Javad Kazemian Abdelhaq Ait Laarif Mohamed Berrabeh Al-Ahli Baré Clederson Osvaldo Milad Meydavoudi Jorge Artigas Hosny Abd Rabo Al-Ain André Dias Jorge Valdivia Soufiane Alloudi André Senghor Al-Dhafra Toufik Zerara Mohamed Kader Mehdi Rajabzadeh Rasoul Khatibi Al-Jazira Fernando Baiano Márcio Rozário Rafael Sóbis Mohammed Ali Karim Mamadou Diallo Al-Khaleej Mourad Rafal Rabii Houbri Abass Lawal Anis Boujelbene Al-Nasr Claudinho Mehrzad Madanchi Mohammad Nosrati Reza Enayati Endurance Idahor Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi Al-Shaab Godwin Attram Merouane Zemmama Mohamed Kallon Al-Shabab Marcos Assunção Renato Abreu Mehrdad Oladi Musawengosi Mguni Al-Sharjah Anderson Barbosa Jean Roberto Lopes Hussein Alaa Hussein Al-Wahda Pinga Ali Salah Hashim Amin Erbati Matar Coly Abdulla Al-Dakeel Alecsandro Karim Aouadhi Al-Wasl Alexandre Oliveira Reiner Ferreira Iman Mobali Fabio Firmani Rogerinho Zeka Goore
Standings
Top goalscorers Source: goalzz.com
25 goals Fernando Baiano (Al Jazira)
13 goals Mohamed Omer (Al-Nasr) (also UFL Top Scorer) Mohamed Kader (Dhafra)
12 goals Anderson Barbosa (Sharjah) Godwin Attram (Al-Shaab) Pinga (Al Wahda)
11 goals Baré (Al-Ahli)
9 goals Faisal Khalil (Al-Ahli) Alexandre Oliveira (Al Wasl) Mehrzad Madanchi (Al-Nasr) Jorge Valdivia (Al Ain)
References
External links UAE League Goalzz