• A Newcastle icon has been appointed as boss of new UAE side Al Qablila FC 
• The franchise hailed ex-defender as a 'legend' whose experience is 'unmatched' 
• Chelsea is a 'CESSPIT of over-inflated egos'... will Pochettino turn bickering youngsters into harmonious team? Listen to the podcast 

A former Newcastle defender has been named as the manager of new UAE franchise Al Qabila FC after success in Dubai's second tier.

Al Qabila have gone viral on social media after a project began to 'build a football club in 365 days' after being founded by Soheil Varahram  - who will be a player for the team - and creative director Daniyal Sheikh. 

The side are set to begin their first ever campaign in the UAE Pro League next season after building the club from the ground up and have been looking for a manager. 

Varahram released a video on his TikTok page telling fans that they would be unveiling their new head coach as he stood in front of a black van in a desert. 

He then video calls Sheikh, who asks: 'Bro, do you think the fans are ready for this?'

You weren't prepared for who the massive hyped Head Coach was pic.twitter.com/gxMBtd09Th

— Relive the League (@PremStarsHQ) April 18, 2024

Varahram tells him: 'This coach, his mentality is on a different level,' before his colleague responds: 'His experience is unmatched.' 

Varahram then says the coach in question has been at 'the very highest level of football... what else could you want?'

He is then filmed getting out of the van before another pulls up towards him. Shortly after, a showreel starts to play of Steven Taylor's highlights from his Newcastle days, including a goal celebration. 

Former defender Taylor is then seen getting out of the van in an all-black suit before shaking hands with Varahram, who introduces him as a 'legend' and 'the perfect fit' for the club. 

Taylor tells the fans: 'Guys, it's great to be part of the tribe. Let's take over.'

Taylor's stock is high in Dubai after leading Gulf United to back-to-back promotions into the country's second tier. 

The 38-year-old started at Gulf United in 2022, his first managerial role, and he has since been replaced by former Swansea City left-back Neil Taylor.   

Steven Taylor started his career with boyhood club Newcastle and featured across 13 seasons, making 268 appearances in total, scoring 15 times, suffering the pain of relegation in 2008-09 before leading them to immediate promotion. 

Taylor left Newcastle in 2016, heading stateside to join Portland Timbers in the MLS. 

After one year in the US, he headed back to the UK to play for Ipswich Town for one season, but featured just three times for the Tractor Boys and then signed for Peterborough United. He played 51 times there before heading Down Under to Australia to join Wellington Phoenix. 

Spells with Indian Super League side Odisha followed before heading back to Phoenix for one last season and announcing his retirement in 2021.