Al Wasl have appointed Ecuador’s Gustavo Quinteros as replacement for the revitalising Rodolfo Arruabarrena and made him the club’s fifth South American coach in a row.

Quinteros, 53, had been out of work since an ignominious 14-game spell at Saudi Arabian giants Al Nassr ended with the sack in January. He had previously been dismissed by Ecuador last September because of their impending failure to make World Cup 2018.

But the Argentina-born, ex-Bolivia defender’s prior achievements with teams such as Blooming and Oriente Petrolero have convinced the Cheetahs to snap him up for 2018/19.

“Al Wasl contracted with coach Gustavo Quinteros to train the first team,” they tweeted.

A tough task awaits to follow on from Arrubarrena, who worked wonders since his June 2016 arrival at an outfit who operate within their financial means.

Finishes of second and third in the Arabian Gulf League represent the best of an otherwise trying professional era. Narrow defeats for the 42-year-old’s side in the Arabian Gulf Cup and President’s Cup showpieces were recorded in 2017/18.

But the outfit from Zabeel Stadium stunned UAE football by declining to renew the ex-Argentina, Boca Juniors and Villarreal left-back’s expired deal.

His replacement, Quinteros, is the latest in a long line of coaches from South America.

Current Egypt boss Hector Cuper left after 13 poor AGL matches in 2013/14. He was replaced by Brazil’s World Cup 1994-winning right-back Jorginho, but he lasted until just October in the next campaign.

Combustible ex-Argentina midfielder Gabriel Calderon then secured successive sixth-placed finishes, prior to Arruabarrena’s brilliant two-season stint.