Former Rangers defender Frank de Boer has been sacked as manager of UAE Pro League club Al-Jazira just two weeks before Christmas.
The legendary ex-Netherlands international captain – who had a short stint alongside brother Ronald at Rangers in 2004 – was only appointed to the position in June.
Taking to X, the Emirati club states Frank de Boer has been relieved of his duties “with immediate effect”, claiming the decision comes “in light of recent performances and results.”
Frank de Boer sacked by Al-Jazira
Having taken charge of 14 games in total with the club, Frank de Boer leaves Al-Jazira 7th in the UAE’s top flight having only won four of ten league games this season.
In the UAE League Cup, the ex-Ajax, Barcelona and Rangers defender has just seen his side eliminated at the hands of Al-Wahda, the final straw in Abu Dhabi for the Dutchman.
It means Frank de Boer – who was tentatively linked with the job of Rangers manager in 2017 – is now unemployed after only six months in his latest role.
The gig at Al-Jazira comes after Frank de Boer led the Netherlands, a country for whom he played 112 times as a player, at Euro 2020.
De Boer’s first gig in club management since his 18 months with Atalanta United, the Dutchman has also spent time in charge of Ajax, Inter Milan and – infamously – Crystal Palace.
Following Frank de Boer’s stint at Rangers, the former left and centre-back spent some time playing in the Middle East, namely for Qatari sides Al-Rayyan and Al-Shamal.
Twin stint in Glasgow
Frank de Boer arrived in Glasgow to quite some fanfare, the link-up with brother Ronald bringing hope of similar success to that the brothers had at Ajax and Barcelona.
Whilst the Dutch duo played at opposite sides of the park, they teamed up magnificently throughout their careers, initially coming through in Amsterdam.
Both part of that legendary Champions League winning Ajax team of 1995 – alongside the likes of Edwin van der Sar, Edgar Davids, Marc Overmars, Patrick Kluivert and the rest – the two spent eight trophy-laden seasons playing together in the Netherlands.
Then joining forces at Barcelona in 1999, Ronald de Boer would move to Rangers a year later.
Frank would spend four years in Spain before joining his twin in Glasgow following a disappointing six months at Galatasaray.
Ex-Barcelona hero played for free at Rangers
Signed in the January of 2004, Rangers finished 2nd in the SPL and failed to collect a single trophy that season with the De Boer brothers taking a final payday in Qatar come the end of the campaign.
Frank de Boer – whose time at Rangers is most synonymous with a late-headed goal v Aberdeen – even missed the decisive penalty in a League Cup shootout against Hibs.
Whilst he failed to win anything as a player, De Boer’s agent Guido Albers has previously claimed the defender “didn’t get any salary” during the short spell in Glasgow.
Rangers have had several Dutch players represent the club, with the likes of Arthur Numan, Bert Konterman, Fernando Ricksen and Giovanni van Bronckhorst all joining in the Dick Advocaat era.
Van Bronckhorst even led the Ibrox club to the Europa League Final in 2022 as manager and lifted the Scottish Cup the same season.
Michael Mols – who was one of the most popular Rangers forwards of the modern era – made an emotional return to the club in the weekend’s victory Dundee following surgery on a brain tumour.
