21 Apr 2014 - 6:01pm
Former Argentine ace Aimar axed by Malaysian team
Aimar, who signed a two-year deal with Johor Darul Takzim in September after leaving Portuguese side Benfica, was reportedly the highest paid player in the Malaysian top flight and club president Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim said he hadn't proved value for money.
Reuters
UPDATED YESTERDAY 6:04 PM
"As it is now, Pablo Aimar has not fully recovered from his (thigh) injury and cannot contribute 100 percent in the games played," the Crown Prince of Johor wrote in a post on the club's Facebook page.
"After playing two matches for JDT, we had to sit him out of six matches due to the injuries succumbed. With the high investment that we have made for our foreign players, we expected to field three foreign players at all times.
"However due to Pablo's injury, we were only able to field one foreign and one Asean (Southeast Asian) player. We were not able to maximise our investment and with the advice of the coaching staff it is important for us to have three foreign players at all times."
Tunku Ismail said he had taken the decision along with head coach Cesar Jimenez, who he has since moved to a director role with the big-spending team third in the 12-team league, three points behind leaders Pahang, after 14 matches of the season.
Aimar, who won over 50 caps for Argentina and played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, had agreed to help Johor with its football development academy upon signing his contract last year but that deal appears over.
He joins former Spain striker Daniel Guiza and Italian midfielder Simone Del Nero in failing to make an impact at the South Malaysian club.
(Writing by Patrick Johnston; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
