Al-Ittihad defend Ramon Diaz sacking after two games of Saudi Pro League

Ramon Diaz was sacked by Al-Ittihad after just two games in the Saudi Pro League. (Al-Ittihad FC)

• The Jeddah giants appointed the Argentine boss in May
• Fans at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium let their displeasure be heard

RIYADH: He lasted only two games, both of them defeats, but the sacking of head coach Ramon Diaz so early in the Saudi Pro League season was not a “knee-jerk reaction,” Al-Ittihad have insisted.
The Jeddah giants appointed the Argentine boss in May but a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Al-Qadiysah on Saturday saw Al-Ittihad rooted to the bottom of the table after just two rounds.
Fans at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium let their displeasure be heard as the visitors put the two-time Asian champions to the sword. Club president Nawaf Al-Muqairn was quick to act and Diaz did not appear in the post-match press conference.
“I apologize to the fans and I am working to make it up to them,” Al-Muqairn subsequently told Saudi Arabian television, explaining that the dismissal had been coming.
“This was not a spur of the moment decision,” the president said. “We have had a number of meetings with him to ask that he solves the issues with the team but this did not happen. We already had an alternative plan.”
The eight-time Saudi Arabian champions endured a dismal 2017-18 season by their usual high standards, finishing in ninth. Diaz was hired to turn things around but despite a busy summer in the transfer market, the early signs had not been positive.
“Obviously, it is early but there are reasons,” an Al-Ittihad official told Arab News. “There is no cohesion in the team despite the time spent in pre-season. The players, both the new signings and the ones already here, don’t seem to be responding to him and the tactics were too passive and defensive.
“We have seen before that when you think the situation is not what it should be then it is better to make a change sooner and not later. Why wait until halfway through the season when it is too late to achieve anything?”
It is the second time Diaz has been fired in Saudi Arabia this year. The coach was let go by Al-Hilal in February despite the Riyadh team sitting on top of the standings after disappointing results in the AFC Champions League.
Al-Ittihad are already five points behind bitter rivals, early leaders and reigning champions Al-Hilal, who won 3-1 at Al-Raed on Saturday despite playing the last 17 minutes with only ten men after a second yellow card for Spanish central defender Alberto Botia.
Other new signings fared better. French striker Bafetimbi Gomis opened his account four minutes before the break to give Saudi fans a first look at his famous “lion roaring” celebration enjoyed by fans in Lyon and Swansea City in the past, before Omar Abdulrahman also grabbed his first for his new club on the stroke of half time.
“This was a good performance with all the players following the instructions I gave them,” Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said, before handing giving special praise for Abdulrahman. 

“He (Abdulrahman) showed his class. He is an intelligent player but he and the team have set the standard for the season, it is important to be consistent.”
Abdulrahman is also pleased. “We struggled at times in the first game but that is natural but today we played in a very positive way and are now looking forward to the next games.”
Al-Hilal are one of three teams with a maximum six points from two games. Al-Shabab are second thanks to a 3-1 win at Feiha while big-spending Al-Nassr are in third after a 2-1 win over Al-Faisaly. Yehya Al-Shehri grabbed the opener with former Brazilian international Giuliano scoring his first in the second half to seal the points.