Former Rangers and Algeria captain Madjid Bougherra has been named as new coach of Arabian Gulf League outfit Fujairah.

The Wolves, who stayed in the UAE top-flight by the skin of their teeth last season, have turned to their former player to replace ex-UAE boss Dr Abdullah Mesfer, who had originally guided them into the AGL last term following a narrow promotion play-off triumph against Hatta.

Mesfer eventually replaced Argentina legend Diego Maradona last April following a hasty decision to sack the former Napoli and Barcelona player within hours of April 28’s failure to gain automatic promotion. Mesfer did then steer Fujairah back into the AGL, but was himself replaced by ex-Czech Republic, Al Ahli and Emirates Club boss Ivan Hasek – who returned to Fujairah Stadium for a second spell – in May.

Mesfer again answered the Wolves’ coaching call when Hasek failed to see out the 2018/19 season, which ended with a 3-1 final day triumph over Shabab Al Ahli Dubai that secured their survival and sent Emirates Club down.

The 36-year-old Bougherra will now take over on a permanent basis, with the club revealing the news on their Twitter feed.

Bougherra won 70 caps and scored four goals for Les Fennecs between 2004-15 and participated at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. He floated around England with Crewe, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic for much of his career, having started out with Ligue 2 side Gueugnon  in France, before winning three straight Scottish Premier League titles with Rangers from 2008-11.

He moved to Qatar’s Lekhwiya at the end of that season, before spending two seasons with Fujairah from 2014-2016.