Igor Biscan has been appointed as the UAE Under-23 coach as rumours persist that Zlatko Dalic is set to be confirmed as the new national team boss.
The UAE FA confirmed former Croatia international Biscan’s role in charge of the U23, or Olympic team, on Sunday night.
According to reports in his homeland, he will be part of an all-new Croatian technical team employed by the UAE, with Dalic at its head.
Former Liverpool midfielder Biscan spent four years as Croatia U21 coach under Dalic before spells managing Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia and Al Ahli in Qatar.
The UAE are searching for a new manager after sacking Cosmin Olaroiu, who failed to salvage the nation’s World Cup qualification challenge, having taken over from Paulo Bento midway through the cycle that culminated in the summer World Cup. Olaroiu has since taken over at Pro League side Al Jazira.
Dalic has been strongly linked with the UAE job since leaving his role as Croatia’s head coach following their last-32 exit to Portugal in North America.
He previously led the team to the 2018 final, where they lost to France, and then to third place in Qatar in 2022.
Dalic, 59, has strong links to the UAE following a successful spell in charge of Al Ain from 2014-17. He is reported to have snubbed interest from South Korea and Saudi Arabia to advance in talks with the UAE.
According to various reports in Croatia, he will bring a team of coaches with him. Sportske Novosti suggests that former Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic will become the UAE’s goalkeeping coach.
Branko Ivankovic is tipped to take on a role with the UAE FA, while Drazen Ladic and former Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka could join Dalic’s coaching staff.
Should he be appointed, Dalic would become the UAE’s third Croatian coach after Tomislav Ivic’s spell in the mid-1990s and Srecko Juricic’s brief tenure in 2009.
The national team will participate in the Gulf Cup from September 23 to October 6 and then the Asian Cup next January. Both competitions will be hosted by Saudi Arabia.