Mohammed Al Abdali seized his moment after guiding Al Taawoun to the AFC Champions League Two quarter-finals via a dramatic penalty shootout win against Qatar’s Al Wakrah.
The caretaker manager, who took over in January following Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s dismissal, used his post-game platform to advocate for Saudi coaches who have historically struggled to secure opportunities in the Roshn Saudi League (RSL).
“The Saudi people are more than capable to achieve in all fields,” Al Abdali declared passionately. “I saw a lot of media outlets showing no confidence in Saudi coaches over the past few days and their abilities.”
He continued: “My message… is to have some confidence in Saudi coaches. I’m not talking about myself personally. Let’s say Mohammed Al Abdali is a bad coach, but not all Saudi coaches are bad, so you have to place some confidence in them.”
Encouragingly, clubs appear to be embracing this perspective, with three RSL teams currently led by Saudi head coaches โ the highest number in years. Alongside Al Abdali, Al Ettifaq appointed Saad Al Shehri following Steven Gerrard’s departure, while Damac entrusted Khaled Al Atwi in their relegation battle.
This positive trend should gain further momentum after the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s recent mandate requiring clubs across all divisions to employ at least one Saudi assistant coach. This initiative aims to provide development opportunities for emerging tactical minds who may eventually step into head coaching roles.
Al Atwi, the most recent Saudi appointment in the RSL, established his reputation in 2018 by leading Saudi Arabia to victory in the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup. His coaching career includes successful spells on the East Coast, where he was named RSL Coach of the Month in December 2020 while at Ettifaq.
Since taking charge at Damac in late March, Al Atwi has secured four points from three matches, including an impressive 3-1 win against Al Kholood. Damac now prepare to host Al Nassr, who are pursuing second place in the table.
The performances of both Al Abdali and Al Shehri validate the argument for greater trust in Saudi coaches. Al Ettifaq was in crisis when Al Shehri replaced Gerrard, having won just two of the former Liverpool star’s final 14 games across all competitions.
Al Shehri has engineered a remarkable turnaround, losing only twice in his first 11 RSL matches as Al Ettifaq climbed from 12th to seventh place. His tenure includes victories over Al Nassr and Al Shabab, plus points secured against top-six teams Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah.
At Al Taawoun, Al Abdali nearly reached the AFC Champions League Two final before a heartbreaking stoppage-time defeat to UAE’s Sharjah. Domestically, he has stabilized the team with three wins and a draw in their last five matches, lifting them to eighth place โ just behind Al Ettifaq.
Having passionately championed Saudi coaches, Al Abdali is now demonstrating their potential alongside Al Shehri and Al Atwi. All three worked diligently for their opportunities and are proving that Saudi Arabians can not only play football at elite levels but coach it successfully too.
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