SPL quality this season ‘vindication’ of transfer policy: Saudi league’s director of football

SPL quality this season ‘vindication’ of transfer policy: Saudi league’s director of football
Michael Emenalo, Saudi Pro League’s director of football, brings with him a wealth of experience highlighted by his success as a long-serving technical director at Chelsea Football Club. (Supplied)
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Updated 16 November 2023
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SPL quality this season ‘vindication’ of transfer policy: Saudi league’s director of football

SPL quality this season ‘vindication’ of transfer policy: Saudi league’s director of football
  • Michael Emenalo, in charge of Player Acquisition Center of Excellence, on league’s progress since summer

RIYADH: Michael Emenalo is the Saudi Pro League’s director of football, charged with leading its Player Acquisition Center of Excellence (PACE), which provides a centralized approach to transfers while also assisting with squad mapping and player care.

Appointed in July, the former Nigerian international brings with him a wealth of experience highlighted by his success as a long-serving technical director at Chelsea Football Club in the English Premier League.

At the SPL, Emenalo’s deep know-how is considered key to providing all clubs with the best possible expertise and governance to ensure a dynamic, young, and sustainable future.

Now a few months into the role, he spoke to Arab News about the progress already made and what was still to come.

Could you explain what your role as the league’s director of football entails?

Simply put, my role is, first and foremost, to help attract interest into the league locally and globally.

It is also to help the process of bringing into the league quality players and staff to help elevate the standard of the league — which is already good and, historically, very performant — but to take it to a level of competition that mirrors the ambition that the stakeholders have.

Also, part of that role is to help foster a process of education in the industry for nationals of Saudi Arabia so they can improve other youngsters in this country who are interested in football.

You are a few months into the job already. What is your assessment of the progress the SPL has achieved since your arrival?

We’re all very excited. From what we’ve seen so far, it’s not perfect, and our ambition is to always reach for perfection.

At this point, it’s very clear that there are things that need to be fixed. But we’re all very encouraged by the progress that’s been made so far.

The quality of some of the games — it doesn’t matter who is playing, be it the so-called smaller teams against the bigger teams — the quality of the football, and the competitiveness, has been something to admire, and we are encouraged by that.

We are also encouraged that the foreign players that have come in are showing the relevant expertise that we anticipated, and that the locals are matching that level of performance.

Overall, it is progress beyond what we expected, but obviously the ambition is very, very high.

How do you assess that first transfer window in your current role?

Well, again, I think we accomplished what we wanted to accomplish, which was to get our foot into the market and compete aggressively.

But, also, we wanted to do that while giving every single club in the league an opportunity to improve. I believe we accomplished that.

And I believe that, what you’re seeing, in terms of the quality of the games and the performance of most of the acquired international players, is a vindication that the transfer market has been relatively well. And we hope that we will continue to perfect our process in the future.

As head of PACE, what are the key metrics you use to assess the success of bringing high-prolife players to the league?

The metrics are simple — it is that the players have a background or history of high performance; that they could be acquired at a reasonable price; that they fit the model or the requirements of the acquiring club; and, last but not least, that they are individuals that we believe will not only come in and bring a great competency on the pitch, but who will also bring the desire to lead in positive and educational ways for youngsters in Saudi Arabia.

How busy do you envision the January transfer window will be, and how far along are plans in further strengthening squads with top-end players?

Well, I’m hoping it’s not very busy, because I think the job that was done has been quite interesting and aggressive, and most of the clubs, I believe, have what they need.

And hopefully the attention will now turn to work within the training facilities to improve these players and to allow the time to adapt and perform.

Now, whatever additional improvement that we need to do for any club, with time on our hands and preparation, we believe will be additions of the highest level.

What is the SPL’s vision and what must you do to ensure it becomes one of the lead destinations for the best players in the world?

Well, the SPL vision is all about raising standards; we want to improve standards in everything that surrounds the league and the clubs that it governs.

That means that we have to improve governance, we have to improve our public relations, we have to improve commercially, and we have to improve our outreach to our fans.

Of course, we have to improve performances on the pitch, the academies, and we have to raise standards of training and development of young players coming through.

We want the medical establishment that looks after the players to be of the highest standard, and we want to improve welfare for staff and players that are working in the Kingdom and for these clubs.

It is just about making sure the league is at the highest standard we can possibly be. I think a better word to use is, I would want to make sure that professionally we are competing against and with the best.

What are the unique selling points the SPL can provide that contribute to attracting the game’s best players?

As I’ve said in previous interviews, world-class players and good players around the world are interested in an ambition more than anything else.

They want to see who is trying to go for the highest possible goal — and that’s what we are really trying to offer them.

We’re trying to offer a league that has incredible ambition, that wants to entertain, that wants to have a global outreach to everyone in the world that wants to improve the quality of their lives, but also extend their careers. And I think those are selling points.

We’ve heard many of the summer additions speak about the quality of life in Saudi Arabia. How important a role do you think that plays?

I think about three key areas for a potential entrance into an adventure — in this case, a football adventure — anywhere in the world.

The first thing you think about is, ‘am I going to have fun? If I go to this league, will I be able to have fun on the pitch?’ And then you think, ‘will I be safe?’ And the final element is, ‘will I grow?’

And, right now, what you’re hearing and what you see is that the players who are here think those three boxes are ticked for them. They can have fun here, but they and their families will be safe, and they have an opportunity for growth.

And the combination of those three elements means they have a good time being in the RSL (Roshn Saudi League).

There has been significant investment in infrastructure and facilities. How key is that for the SPL in relation to becoming one of the leading leagues in the world?

The infrastructure of facilities you mentioned are not just building blocks; they are the working environment for the players and staff.

And, if you want to raise standards to reach the ambitions you’ve set, your working space has to be at the highest level. That’s the goal.

How do you balance the desire to attract elite-level players with the need to promote local talent and develop a strong domestic player base?

I think there was a time when this was a very simple debate, and all everyone wanted to do was limit the number of foreign players to improve local players. And I think we have seen that this doesn’t necessarily work.

We’ve seen in places like England, that sudden infusion of world-class players in the league has led to the development of local, world-class players, and I think that’s what is going to happen here.

But you have to grow these players, and when you use the words grow or develop, it means you have to look at the academies, you have to look at the younger ages. That’s where the development of the process starts.

And we want to provide them with an environment — a well-tended development environment — that will allow them to pursue the ambition while they are looking across and competing with some of the best players in the world. So that, by the time they get to the level where they are set free, they’re ready to be the stars like the guys who have come in at the moment.

What impact does having the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and other prominent names have on the development of local players?

It never hurts in any industry to have the best performers as part of your actors. And these guys just listed have been the best performers for a very long time in our industry. We’re very, very lucky to have them.

I’ve always explained, privately and publicly, that top-level footballers are incredible and unique artists, and what they can do, you can only dream of until you try to do it, when you realise how difficult it is.

Those guys are exceptional artists, and the artists as time goes on will be greatly appreciated and copied by youngsters in the country and that will be for the good of everyone.


Saudi Arabia showcases FIFA World Cup bid at AFC conference in Seoul

Saudi Arabia showcases FIFA World Cup bid at AFC conference in Seoul
Updated 01 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia showcases FIFA World Cup bid at AFC conference in Seoul

Saudi Arabia showcases FIFA World Cup bid at AFC conference in Seoul
  • SAFF’s President Yasser Al-Misehal highlights international backing

LONDON: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation presented its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup at an Asian Football Confederation conference in Seoul on Friday.

The event, for member associations and regional associations’ presidents and general secretaries, saw Saudi Arabia highlight its position as a potential World Cup host, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

SAFF’s President Yasser Al-Misehal spoke of international backing for Saudi Arabia’s proposal, noting the “unprecedented historical support from over 170 federations.”

Al-Misehal added that the endorsement emphasized the confidence the global community had in the Kingdom’s capabilities to host the World Cup, a venture he described as “a dream come true” for Saudi football enthusiasts who had passionately supported the sport for years.

The event also featured SAFF’s Secretary-General Ibrahim Al-Qasim, who offered a presentation to football experts and pioneers which stressed Saudi Arabia’s capacity to host the World Cup.

Under the proposed new format, Saudi Arabia would be the sole country to organize the 2034 tournament, underscoring its infrastructural capabilities and commitment to delivering a world-class sporting experience, he said.

The AFC conference, which began on Wednesday, was attended by FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino, AFC’s President Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, and national and regional federation leaders.

The decision on the hosts for the 2034 World Cup will be announced at FIFA’s Extraordinary General Assembly on Dec. 11.

Al-Misehal expressed optimism about Saudi Arabia’s prospects, adding that football fans across Asia and beyond were eagerly awaiting FIFA’s decision.


Netflix releases teaser for documentary series on Saudi Pro League

Netflix releases teaser for documentary series on Saudi Pro League
Updated 01 November 2024
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Netflix releases teaser for documentary series on Saudi Pro League

Netflix releases teaser for documentary series on Saudi Pro League
  • ‘Saudi Pro League: Kickoff’ will be released on Nov. 21

RIYADH: Netflix will launch its latest sports doc series, “Saudi Pro League: Kickoff,” on Nov. 21, the streaming platform revealed in a short teaser.

The docuseries will take football fans behind the scenes of a league with the ambition to become one of the top leagues in the world.

The six-episode series, produced by Whisper, delves into the journey of five Saudi football clubs, Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli and Al Etiffaq, as they compete to be crowned Saudi Pro League champions.

Well-known international players such as Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Neymar (Al-Hilal), Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) and Ettifaq coach Steven Gerrard, as well as great Saudi players such as Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal), Feras Al-Buraikan (Al-Ahli), Talal Haji (Al-Ittihad), and Abdulrahman Ghareeb (Al-Nassr), all make appearances, describing their journeys, challenges, failures and triumphs throughout the 2023-2024 season.

Beyond the pitch, fans will witness the Saudi Pro League’s vision of transformation unfold, as international legends join the league and make a profound impact on the clubs, the competition and the Saudi football stars.

Featuring exclusive interviews from some of the world’s best players, managers and commentators, along with in-depth stories and highlights from the campaign, the series will offer fans backstage access to the developments shaping the future of the Saudi Pro League.


We’ll be Al-Nassr fans for a weekend, says Al-Ittihad’s Fabinho

We’ll be Al-Nassr fans for a weekend, says Al-Ittihad’s Fabinho
Updated 01 November 2024
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We’ll be Al-Nassr fans for a weekend, says Al-Ittihad’s Fabinho

We’ll be Al-Nassr fans for a weekend, says Al-Ittihad’s Fabinho
  • The Brazilian midfielder helped his team to a 1-0 win over Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli ahead of Al-Nassr’s clash with table-topping Al-Hilal in the Roshn Saudi Pro League’s Capital Derby

JEDDAH: Brazilian star Fabinho has revealed that the Al-Ittihad players are going to become Al-Nassr fans, but just for the Roshn Saudi Pro League Capital Derby against champions and current leaders Al-Hilal on Friday.

On Thursday night Al-Ittihad defeated Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli 1-0 as a part of the SPL’s Derby Week.

The win in the Sea Derby ensures Al-Ittihad is equal on points with Al-Hilal at the top of the SPL table but behind the Riyadh club on goal difference, having played an extra match.

Having dropped only three points all season — in a defeat to Al-Hilal — Al-Ittihad, title holders in 2022-2023, have emerged as the reigning champions’ biggest challengers for the league trophy this season.

With that in mind, the former Liverpool midfielder wants both Jeddah and Riyadh to be all yellow this weekend.

“At the moment we are fighting against Al-Hilal at the top of the league, so first we have to do our job,” he told Arab News before the clash in Jeddah.

“And of course we’ll support Al-Nassr this weekend. If they get a good result, it will be good for us, but as I said before we have to care about us first.”

As well as the Sea Derby and Capital Derby, the SPL also hosts Al-Ettifaq versus Al-Qadsiah in the Eastern Derby on Saturday.

All the matchweek nine clashes are a part of the innovative new Derby Week in the league this season.


Fabinho up against old friend Firmino as Al-Ittihad look to overcome Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli in Derby Week

Fabinho up against old friend Firmino as Al-Ittihad look to overcome Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli in Derby Week
Updated 31 October 2024
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Fabinho up against old friend Firmino as Al-Ittihad look to overcome Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli in Derby Week

Fabinho up against old friend Firmino as Al-Ittihad look to overcome Jeddah rivals Al-Ahli in Derby Week
  • ‘Last season, I made a hard tackle on him, and he sent me a photo of his ankle. I said: Sorry, Bobby,’ Fabinho reveals ahead of Thursday night’s Jeddah derby

JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad midfielder Fabinho has admitted “it’s not nice” playing against compatriot, ex-Liverpool teammate and good friend Roberto Firmino, but will be doing everything to beat him and Al-Ahli in the Roshn Saudi League on Thursday.

Both Brazilian stars moved to their respective Jeddah clubs in the summer of 2023 after enjoying years of success at Liverpool, including winning the Champions League and Premier League.

But they will be on opposite sides for the Sea Derby, with Fabinho confessing that he even had to apologize to his good friend Firmino after an overzealous tackle in a corresponding fixture last season.

Al-Ittihad go into the derby in second place, with their local rival 11th in the Roshn Saudi League table.

The Jeddah derby, which kicks off at 9 p.m. local time at King Abdullah Sports City, is a part of the Roshn Saudi League’s innovative Derby Week, which is taking place in matchweek nine of the 2024-2025 season.

The new Derby Week addition to the Saudi Arabian topflight features Christiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr versus champions Al-Hilal, with Neymar at No. 10, at Al-Awwal Park. The mouthwatering Capital Derby matchup is on Friday.

The Eastern Derby between Al-Ettifaq, managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, and Al-Qadsiah, who welcomed Real Madrid hero Nacho into their ranks in summer, is on Saturday.

Here are some of Fabinho’s views on the big game and the SPL season:

On the derby

“For us it is a really important game, the team is in a really good moment. We are second in the league just behind Al-Hilal and we want to be at the top, so we have to win this game.

“This will be my third derby, the first two were not very good for us. We lost both of them, so it is an opportunity to give a nice result to our fans. The fans they are asking for us to give everything to win this game.”

Al-Ittihad’s form this season

“I think the players that arrived (in the transfer window) are playing really well. Moussa Diaby, Houssem Aouar, all the players who arrived have really integrated into the team and adapted to the team and the way we play.

“I think some key players are finding their best football again, so this is very important for us. The new coach and his staff arrived as well, and we know the ideas they have and how they want to play football.

“What everybody expects from us is to fight for the league, it’s not a big surprise. We have to do everything to reach the top.”

On facing Firmino

“It is not nice. Bobby is one of my good friends that I have made in football, he is a very good player, so I never like to play against him. Last season when we played against them, I made a hard tackle on him and after the game he sent me a photo of his ankle. I said: ‘Sorry, Bobby.’

“After the game we can talk but, in the game, I will fight for my side and my team. It’s nice to be in the same city as him, to see him off the pitch often. Our families also are in contact, and he is a very good friend, but on the pitch and in the derby, I am with Al-Ittihad and he is with Al-Ahli.”

On living in Jeddah

“My good friend Helder Costa played here for one season, so I talked to him, because I wanted my family to be comfortable in the city. Coming to Jeddah it was a very good surprise to see how nice the city is.

“We have adapted to the city, and we love to live in Jeddah. We’re very happy to be here.”


Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney looking to outscore Ronaldo in the SPL this season

Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney looking to outscore Ronaldo in the SPL this season
Updated 30 October 2024
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Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney looking to outscore Ronaldo in the SPL this season

Al-Ahli’s Ivan Toney looking to outscore Ronaldo in the SPL this season
  • England international all set for Jeddah derby against Al-Ittihad on Thursday night
  • Ivan Toney: We want to win the league, end of story

JEDDAH: Al-Ahli forward Ivan Toney is hoping to score more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo this season — starting by netting in a Derby Week victory over Jeddah rivals Al-Ittihad in the Roshn Saudi League on Thursday.

The England goalscorer, who joined Al-Ahli from Brentford in the summer, has netted three times in six Roshn Saudi League matches. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo has six goals from seven Roshn Saudi League games for Al-Nassr this season.

Toney hopes to improve that tally in the Sea Derby, which kicks off at 9 p.m. local time on Thursday as Al-Ahli travel to face their city rivals Al-Ittihad at King Abdullah Sports City. The big game is part of Roshn Saudi League’s innovative Derby Week, which is taking place in Matchweek 9 of the 2024/25 season.

The new Derby Week addition to the Saudi Arabian topflight also features Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr versus champions Al-Hilal, with Neymar at No. 10, at Al-Awwal Park in the Capital Derby on Friday. The Eastern Derby between Al-Ettifaq, managed by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, and Al-Qadsiah, who welcomed Real Madrid hero Nacho into their ranks in summer, is on Saturday.

Here are some of Toney’s views on a big few days ahead.

On the derby

“We know it’s going to be big. On a personal level, it is going to be my first one. I’m excited. I know derbies from my previous clubs, but I’m sure it’s nothing like being here, how much it means to everyone, and hopefully we can win.

“I think it’ll be similar (to other derbies), you know, there’ll be tackles flying in, but the fact is we’re fighting for what color we make Jeddah. Obviously, it’s special to everyone and special to the fans; obviously with them being so close, we want to make Jeddah green.”

On facing top Al-Ittihad talent

“You’ve got to do the work. It’s all well and good coming up against these players, but we’re not here to idolize these players, we’re here to beat them, and hopefully we can do that.”

Roshn Saudi League ambitions

“Obviously, we have to aim to win the league. If I was saying, ‘We’ll just try and get top three,’ what’s the point in playing the games? We want to win the league, end of story.”

Goalscoring

“I always set targets for myself and hopefully I can hit them. (Media) ask me what my target is, but it doesn’t come out. It only comes out when I’ve hit it come the end of the season! Hopefully I can keep playing well, score goals and help the team to win games.”

On scoring more or less than Cristiano Ronaldo

“Hopefully more! To be fair, I’m competing with myself really, I don’t watch what other people are doing. Obviously, Ronaldo is a top player, but I concentrate on myself and what I do best.”