The Arabian Gulf League has claimed its first managerial casualty of the season after Al Dhafra chose to dismiss Anel Karabeg and bring in Romanian Marin Ion.

Karabeg, 52, was promoted from reserve coach this summer after two years with the club. The Bosnian's last game on Monday saw striker Makhete Diop bury a 93rd-minute penalty to claim a 3-3 draw with Al Jazira – their fourth in four consecutive top-flight matches under his guidance.

Replacement Marin is to begin work on Wednesday. He stepped down as Kuwait SC boss in April, bringing an end to a successful spell in which he was named manager of the year in 2013 after he claimed the Kuwaiti Premier League and added a second successive AFC Cup.

The well-travelled 59 year old has worked in the UAE before at Dubai Club in 2011.

Karabeg's position was first questioned last week after changes were put in place to swap two foreign foreign players for Argentina international winger Matias Defederico and Brazilian forward Paulo de Oliveira.

Thus far, Defederico's replacement Youssef Kaddioui struck an impressive debut brace while De Oliveira started against Jazira. Negotiations about a second new acquisition and who will depart are close to completion ahead of Thursday's closure of the transfer window.

Prior to the start of the AGL campaign, Fujairah drafted in Iraqi Abdulwahab Abdulqadir on September 2 after Dzemal Hadziabdic departed.