DUBAI: Former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur coach Juande Ramos has emerged as a candidate for the role of head coach at Al-Hilal.
The Riyadh giants fired Ramon Diaz last night after 16 months in charge and speculation that Ramos could be the new man was sparked by Turki Al-Sheikh, President of the General Sports Authority, tweeting a link to the Wikipedia profile page of Ramos. The Spaniard, 63, has been out of work since leaving Malaga in December 2016.
He has an extensive CV having coached 16 clubs, including Sevilla, Espanyol and Betis, and worked in three different countries. He has taken charge of 810 games and boasts a winning percentage of nearly 45. His most successful spell came at Seville where he won the Uefa Cup twice, the Super Cup and the Copa del Rey.
Other candidates could include Cosmin Olaroiu, Gabriel Calderon and Michel Preud’homme
Olaroui is one of the most successful coaches in Middle Eastern football. The Romanian led Al-Hilal to the league and cup double in 2007-08 and has also won titles in the UAE and Qatar. Known for his competitive nature and disciplinarian style, Olaroiu is without a job since leaving UAE’s Shabab Al-Ahli in December.
Calderon is another double winner with Al-Hilal and he also took Al-Ittihad to the verge of continental glory, finishing runners-up at the 2009 AFC Champions League. He led Saudi Arabia to the 2006 World Cup and is currently in charge of Qatari side Qatar SC.
Preud’homme, the legendary Belgian goalkeeper, is the last coach to win the Saudi league without a defeat, achieving this feat with Al-Shabab in 2008-09. His career also saw him win the Belgian league twice, with Standard Liege and Club Brugge.
Al-Hilal are searching for a new coach after they fired Diaz following the AFC Champions League defeat to Esteghlal on Tuesday night. Diaz won the double in his first season at Al-Hilal and came within a whisker of winning the AFC Champions League in November. He was also on course to win the league again as Al-Hilal are four points clear with only five games remaining, but his contract was terminated after “unsatisfactory performances in recent weeks.” He leaves having won 30 of his 41 league games in charge.
U-23 head coach Juan Ignacio Brown has been appointed as interim manager. His first game in charge will be against Al-Faisaly on Mar. 2.