Abu Dhabi: Al Ain, who is eyeing a semi-final berth in the AFC Champions League, has signed 28-year-old Japanese defender Tsukasa Shiotani on a two-year contract. Shiotani fills in for South Korean Lee Myung-joo, who was forced to leave the club to attend mandatory military duty.
Shiotani has switched loyalties from Sanfrecce Hiroshima with whom he has been since 2012 and has figured in 126 outings and found the net 17 times.
“It is my pleasure to join Al Ain, a team with great reputation in the Asian continent,” said Shiotani, adding that he was ready to give his best for the club and help them achieve its desired objectives.
“I’m aware that playing for a team like Al Ain is an ambition for any player in the Asian continent and I’m keen to make the most of this precious opportunity,” added Shiotani, who went on to reveal that he did not have to think twice to say ‘yes’ to the offer when he got a call from Al Ain.
“The reputation of Al Ain was enough for me to give the nod straight away. Al Ain has won the AFC Champions League title and has had a consistent presence in the competition over the past years. They are in the quarter-finals this season and have a crucial tie against Saudi’s Al Hilal. I’m sure that I will not find it difficult to get a place in the squad to participate in the coming matches and fit into coach Zoran Mamic’s scheme of things,” asserted Shiotani, who also went on to reveal he is well aware of the Al Ain players and their strengths, especially of playmaker Omar Abdul Rahman.
“I think that there is no player in Japan who does not know the Al Ain team star player Omar Abdul Rahman and I’m personally very happy to play alongside the best player in the continent of Asia. I hope to achieve the best results and fulfil the aspirations of the team and the fans of the club,” said Shiotani.
Al Ain coach Mamic expressed his confidence of Shiotani being an ideal replacement for Myung Joo, saying, “I welcome Shiotani to the club. He is a versatile defender with a fluent play and can be a good in attack. I’m sure he can provide the required depth to the team and help us achieve our objectives.”
Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, chairman of Al Ain Club, went on to reveal that the decision to include Shiotani was based on Mamic’s evaluation and there were also serious attempts to retain Myung Joo but he had other commitments.
“Shiotani was Mamic’s first choice and we all are convinced about his capabilities and confident that he can add value to the team,” said Al Hajeri.
