Former Ipswich Town defender Steven Taylor has been appointed as the first head coach of new UAE side Al Qabila FC.

The 38-year-old will be joining the Dubai-based side as they begin life in the UAE Pro League next season. 

Taylor retired from football in 2021 after a spell at A-League side Wellington Phoenix, where he was captain of the New Zealand club. 

The former Newcastle United man became head coach of UAE side Gulf United in January 2022 and led them to back-to-back promotions into the second tier. 

Taylor departed the Eagles in August last year and now joins Al Qabil FC, who are led by professional footballer Soheil Varahram and creative director Daniyal Sheikh.

The project, dubbed "Building a Pro Football Club in 365 Days", has gone viral, amassing tens of millions of views across social media.

In total, Taylor played just three times for Town in an injury-hit spell at Portman Road in the second half of the 2016/17 season.