Al-Johar - Saudi Arabia's 'Mr Fix-It'. (Allsport)
EXPECTATIONS WEIGH DOWN AL-JOHAR
By John Skilbeck, PA International
Click here for more Saudi Arabia news
Click here for more World Cup news
It is a measure of the pessimism in Asian football that many feel a foreign
coach would do a better job with the Saudi Arabia team than Nasser Al-Johar at
the World Cup.
Al-Johar is the man the Saudis turn to in their hour of need, a veritable 'Mr
Fix-It', and yet there still existed in the spring a school of thought that he
should be replaced before the tournament kick-off.
The measure of his task will become clear when the Saudi public begin
demanding progress beyond the first round.
It is an unrealistic request, but Al-Johar has been put in position by
ruthless royal command.
Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Abdul Aziz is the man with the power to hire and
fire national coaches and he has done so with a merciless regularity.
Al-Johar has been subject to his wrath, having been fired just months after
leading the Saudis to the 2000 Asian Cup final.
That tournament began with Czech Milan Macala in charge, but after a 4-1
drubbing by Japan he was fired and Al-Johar called in - again.
Japan denied them in the final, with Mochizuki Shigeyoshi's goal the decider,
and Al-Johar had been replaced by Slobodan Santrac before the World Cup
qualifying campaign began.
But Santrac's tenure in the job was short and he was dismissed after the team
claimed just one point from two qualifiers.
The turnaround in Al-Johar's latest spell has been Sven-Goran Eriksson-esque.
Just as the Swede engineered England an unlikely ticket to the Far East,
Al-Johar rapidly rejuvenated his old charges.
A former Saudi international, his position is safe according to the prince.
But, true to form, a Brazilian - Robenson Alfes Bahira - has been appointed as
his 'first assistant'.
Another Brazilian, a Yugoslav and other foreign fitness coaches have been
hired.
The Saudis are not thought to be a team capable of winning matches at the
finals, but Al-Johar has surprised before and with experience of football in the
Far East their three matches could yet proffer up an eye-brow raising moment or
two.
|
