Jose Mourinho Rui Faria Manchester United

Mourinho's former assistant Faria takes managerial role in Qatar

Long-time Jose Mourinho collaborator Rui Faria has taken his first head coaching job with Qatar's Al Duhail, the club confirmed on Friday.

Faria, 43, left his assistant manager's job at Manchester United at the end of the 2017-18 season, ostensibly to pursue senior positions after almost two decades working as Mourinho's deputy.

And he will cut his teeth in the middle east after his arrival was revealed by the reigning Stars League champions.

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"Al Duhail club management has contracted Portuguese coach Rui Faria to be the coach of the team in the upcoming period after many negotiations and great efforts made by the club management to obtain the coach despite the great European offers he had in the last period from a number of clubs that wanted to work with him, and also the great coaches who wanted to add him to their coaching staff," Al-Duhail confirmed in a statement published on the club's official website.

"The club will present its new coach to the media in a major press conference that will be announced in the upcoming two days."

Faria has been with Mourinho throughout his managerial career in a variety of capacities.

The Portuguese hired him as an assistant and fitness coach at Uniao Leiria in 2001, and he has since accompanied the Special One across Europe.

Mourinho took Faria with him to Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid and lastly United, where the manager was relieved of his duties at the end of 2018.

Now Faria has the challenge of helping Al Duhail retain their league title, as he takes over from Tunisian Nabil Maaloul.

Al Duhail currently sit second in the Stars League, two points behind leaders Al-Sadd after 15 games of the 2018-19 season.

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