On the Road Again

3rd of August, 2017
Melbourne Airport

2015-16 football season events mentioned in this game are a result of the simulation, not real-life events

Alas, I’ve finally finished University. The Australian system is a tad different to the one we have back home in the Middle East, which means we graduate at the start of August rather than the end of May. I’m 20 now and I think that I’ve done pretty well to acquire my degree in Management, so it’s time for me to head back home to Dubai.



I always felt like I could coach at a young age, or at the very least add something that clubs needed in terms of off-book scouting or opposition team analysis. I felt like I could do that in Europe, never mind the Middle East. But now I’ve added the final piece to the puzzle of my raw self, which is the management aspect so I can actually prove my coaching credentials.

I’ve been active through my Twitter account as always, in English and Arabic, analysing the European, Arabian and Far East Asian football strategies. This helped fans look at the game from another point of view and at the same time helped me make links tactically and as to whether I was able to implement a philosophy in Middle Eastern football.

Managers often don’t last over a season there. Look at Al-Hilal, Saudi giants who finished 2nd and won the Super Cup under Giorgios Donis – they sacked him! Sure, they’re a big club that need trophies but he was building a team using his philosophy. Sadly, managers don’t get that time. Al-Nassr finished in 6th place and sacked Raul Caneda, which is understandable as they had won the league for two consecutive season prior to that dreadful 2015-16 season.

But is football all about winning? Winning is immensely important, but I would rather please the fans then win rather than vice versa. Fans are a priority, show them that we can make sustainable growth.

Is football all about spending? I never saw the point in this but the oil-rich clubs in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been doing it for the last 10-20 years and it hasn’t been that successful. No regular winners from Qatar and the UAE, and Saudi clubs have been unsuccessful in that competition [Asian Champions League] for quite a while now.

Is it all about using the foreigner spots? You want to know what’s tough in the Middle East? The issue of foreign players. You’re only allowed 4, so clubs spend more than half of their wage bill bringing in world stars. Among them were Asamoah Gyan, Jorge Valdivia, Manuel Lanzini, Christian Wilhelmsson, Omar Al-Soma and Moussa Sow at the expense of youth players.

Asamoah Gyan was the best ever player to play in the UAE League and I witnessed him live at Al-Ain, but now that he’s gone they have failed to win a title and are struggling to produce good youth players. Foreign players are short-term, local lads are long-term. So if I ever do get the chance to manage… I’ll never sign a player. Ever. Mark my words.

4th of August, 2017
Home – Dubai

I got my tweets ready and scheduled before the 14-hour flight, which was very convenient for when I’m knackered later on at home. I had planned to tweet out my article analysing the fall of Saudi Champions Al-Nassr on my football website for tactics in Arabic. This helped bring the idea of tactical analysis into the Arab side of football, with it hopefully having a multiplier effect by not just influencing readers, but also the people around them.

Once I opened my phone back home, I got this message…



Abdulelah Al-Abbas, Chairman of unknown club based in Ahad Rafidah, Saudi Arabia: “Hello brother, it is very important that I see you and invite you to Saudi Arabia. It’s about a chance at coaching a club in Ahad Rafidah”.

Me: “Hi mate, honestly I feel embarrassed! Give me a few days and I will be with you. As you will know I am very excited for this chance.”

Abdulelah: “Yes, yes. After I saw your article about Al-Nassr, I knew you were the best choice.”

Me: “It’s an honour to hear these words from you. See you soon.”

Good start, should be a good story to follow mate!

Good luck!

5th of August, 2017
On the Road Again

I had to ask myself if money were to be a problem, and eventually it turned out it would be. Either I take a flight to Abha which would take me a couple of hours, or I do it on the road for a cheaper fee at the expense of a couple (actually, 14…) hours. I’d have to set off from my family’s home in Dubai, go through the border of Saudi Arabia and make the cross-country trip to the southwestern province of Ahad Rafidah. I had planned to set off at 6am, aiming for an 11pm arrival.

5:25 am

Petrol has been paid for, I took down all the main petrol stations that would help me down the road to Ahad Rafidah.

5:35 am

I wasn’t bothered waiting, so I set off for my destination. For all I know, it could be a bloody failure. For all I know, the chairman could be a right tw*t. For all I know, the club could be in the red. For all I know, the players could be of an extremely low quality. Well, what the hell is life without some risk taking?

10:03 am

I’m finally here at the border of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and while I do have a music playlist that is good enough to satisfy me for hours I don’t think I’ll be able to last. Obviously, I’ve had a bite to eat for breaky but I’m really in the mood for that KFC meal I’ve always wished for. They never had those spicy chicken pieces in Australia.



I give all my details and one of the security guards asked, “coming here for a football job by car? Are you crazy? Even the most energetic Saudi wouldn’t do this! For your sake I hope your car has a good air conditioning system.”

Me: “What’s wrong with coming by car? Besides the obvious fact that it’s about 47 C outside.”

Security Guard: “Football in Saudi Arabia revolves around money. Your chairman couldn’t book you a flight that costs what one foreign player earns in one minute here?”

Me: “I’m not going to a first division club… I’m going to Ahad Rafidah. Know any clubs there that might be my target?”

Security Guard: *chuckles*, “Mr., you truly are a different kind of hipster. Go on and good luck.”

11:02 pm

Bloody hell, I’ve arrived. I’m late for my 11pm meeting (late, but convenient) but I have to eat a couple of Shawarma sandwiches at a nearby restaurant. “The tastiest grill”, a suitable name for a fiery looking restaurant.



Me: “Hey boss, I need a quick chicken Shawarma. By the way, know any football clubs around here in Ahad Rafidah?”

Cashier: “I know there is one called Jarash, but I’m not that sad to know where it’s located! What are you doing there at this time of night?”

Me: “Apparently, I’m here to manage a football club…”

Very interesting. Good luck mate!

Very cool story, good luck man

5th of August, 2017
Negotiations

Abdulelah: “…2,100 Riyals per week. It’s what I find suitable for you. You’re bright, yes, but you of all people know that managing a team of players is not the same as writing up an analysis or coaching 2D players on a computer game. If you are alright with that on a part-time basis, I’d like to speak with you about the philosophies you want to implement at this club. Be honest with me, if this is a stepping stone rather than a project, I need to know.”

Me: “Listen, there is no point bargaining for another 100 Riyals. That’s only about another $26, which I can live without being completely honest with you. What I want to discuss with you is a much more important matter because I know how football works here in Saudi.”

Abdulelah: “Go on.”

Me: “We have to invest in the future.”

Abdulelah: “Sure, we will have a policy to buy young players only.”

Me: “No, no Mr. Abdulelah. I mean no buying anyone at all. I want us to produce good players, not buy new ones.”

Abdulelah: “Surely we have to buy some in our first season though, just to get the squad going.”

Me: “See, my project has to be free of signing players. I just can’t do that, because if I buy one I will always tell myself I can add more. If we can focus on consolidating the team and building it steadily, succeeding as a club and bringing in fans at the same time this long-term project will be different.”

Abdulelah: “Just imagine people seeing us not sign players, youth players in Saudi aren’t good man.”

Me: “The team can barely get 200 to the match. Listen, you have the chance of a footballing revolution here. You know everyone spends money like there’s no tomorrow and it’s not like they’re successful continentally. If we get relegated without signing these players in the first season, sack me without paying me anything.”

Abdulelah: “Fine, it is intriguing to be quite honest, you have one season to show me your worth. Keep us up – which I think with these batch of players is impossible – and you stay for next season.”

-Sign the contract-

Me: “So, can I see my squad list now?”

Ryan Hawsawi
Osama Jahfali
Khaled Al-Aswad
Mutab Al-Qaisi
Ahmed Al-Habib
Ahmed Al-Shahrani
Ahmed Al-Yami
Mohammed Al-Qahtani
Nawaf Al-Basha
Abdulaziz Sharahali
Fahad Al-Otaibi
Abdullah Al-Shahrani
Mohammad Al-Sabhan (GK)

Me: “Where’s the rest of the list?”

Abdulelah: “That’s the whole squad…”

Me: “Oh… that’s why you find it impossible to avoid relegation. You’ve only got one freakin’ ‘keeper.”

Abdulelah: “You insisted on signing the contract, see you at training tomorrow! League begins next week.”

I have well and truly, f*cked up.

6th August, 2017
Meeting the players

Me: “First of all I’d like to say that you are all going to be getting game time this season. This, lads, is our full squad. We’re expected to fight against relegation.”

Abdullah Al-Shahrani [Captain]: “Coach, could I have a word with you?” [both of us have a chat away from the group “…if I’m not wrong, the squad look baffled. You expect us to fight against relegation without any players coming in? It’s very easy for someone in the squad to leave too, remember we’re just a semi-pro club and the chairman has barely been keeping us healthy financially.”

Me: “Look, it seems that I am crazy but who doesn’t love a challenge. I will fight for this team until the final day and continue after that because I will avoid relegation. The chairman has accepted my offer and we’ve set a condition too, so it is all fine. I need you to get that message to the players, mate.”

Abdullah: “I get it, especially knowing that we can’t overturn the conditions. Given that we can’t do that, we might as well fight until the end. This needs to be an endosymbiotic relationship. We can make it happen.” [Abdullah goes back to the squad]

Me: “We have decided that Abdullah will speak to you all to get my intentions across. Good luck lads. Light training today, I want you to focus on playing in a 5-4-1. Line-up like this: Mohammad Al-Sabhan in goal, behind a quintet of Khaled Al-Aswad at right back and Ryan Hawsawi at left back. My 3 centre halves should be Osama Jahfali, Ahmad Al-Shahrani and Nawaf Al-Basha. In midfield, Mohammad Al-Qahtani should facilitate play for us while Ahmed Al-Habib wins everything back for us. Ahmad Al-Yami should be our danger man on the left, Abdullah Al-Shahrani on the right and Mutab Al-Qaisi as a lone striker.”


[speaking to myself] "This squad is really poor. Can't see us getting goals with our laborious striker."