If the choice was to accept a 777 FO gig on good money now, or hold out for the rumoured qf A330 SO gig that might or might not happen, I personally find it hard to fault the decisions made.
Unless of course you have worked for said operator. Having done so, I can assure you that the money is not as good as it seems. It's not about how much you make, it's how much you can save. Dubai has become ridiculously expensive. In addition, the rosters over the long term are simply unsustainable.