No surprises as Roberto Mancini’s time as Saudi head coach comes to an end

RIYADH: The news, when it came, was not a surprise. Roberto Mancini’s time as head coach of Saudi Arabia has come to an end after less than 14 months.

It wasn’t just the 0-0 draw with Bahrain in Jeddah on Thursday but the way the Italian left the pitch, exchanging words and gestures with fans behind the bench. You did not need to speak Arabic or Italian to know that the comments were not warm or friendly.

These were not the scenes of a healthy and happy relationship, but one that was failing.

On Thursday night, the Saudi National team’s official X account confirmed the parting of ways with Mancini.

Whatever the ins and outs of the results, the strategies, tactics and training, sometimes it is best for all parties when it comes to an end. Nobody seemed to be enjoying themselves, not least the man himself. Five points from four third-round World Cup qualifiers is not a great return, especially when three of those games have been played in Jeddah, roared on by a passionate and big local crowd. The 2026 World Cup is on the line, and more besides.

Herve Renard left in March 2023 to take over the French women’s team, and did so with the thanks of a grateful nation who will never forget a smooth World Cup qualification campaign and that win over Argentina. Mancini was not just another smart, suave and sophisticated European coach, he seemed to be an upgrade on the Frenchman.

It was seen as a coup when the coach who had won the English Premier League with Manchester City, Serie A with Inter Milan and the European Championships with Italy, swapped Rome for Riyadh.

Perhaps the Asian Cup came along too soon in January. Everyone knows what happened, but it started with the coach accusing three senior players of picking and choosing their games and not selecting them, overseeing a second-round exit and then leaving the pitch before the end of the penalty shootout.

But early missteps can be forgiven and forgotten, even in the feverish world of modern football. It was time to focus on preparation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which in turn would lead into the 2027 Asian Cup. Saudi Arabia will host that tournament for the first time, and are desperate to win for the first time since 1996.

The second round of qualification ended badly, however, with a home loss to Jordan in June. It was an ominous sign for round three where, so far, there have been just three goals scored in four games, one by a midfielder and two set-piece headers from a defender. There may be a lack of attacking talent in the country compared to some teams elsewhere, but there should be enough to actually threaten more in games against Indonesia, China, Japan and Bahrain.

He may also regret allowing Salem Al-Dawsari to take penalty kicks. The Al-Hilal man may be the most talented in the country, but had missed three from seven for his country until last month.

Now it is five from nine. After his failure against Indonesia, Al-Dawsari should have been removed from that duty and his miss against Bahrain was costly again. Had those two penalties been converted then Saudi Arabia would be a point behind Japan and four clear of Australia in third, and the 59-year-old would still be in a job.

Switching from three at the back to four recently did not have the desired effect and Mancini has struggled to stamp any kind of identity or style on the team. In the end, it is all about results, but signs of progress can help build patience.

Reports and rumors of a frostiness with players is not a major problem when winning but comes in for criticism when results are poor and his complaints about a lack of league minutes for his players had validity, but over time sounded like an excuse.

There have been videos of the former striker interacting with fans in social settings where there seemed to be genuine warmth and enjoyment, but this did not carry over into press conferences, games and other official engagements.

Such is football. Given what was happening, or not happening, it was clearly right to end a relationship that wasn’t working. And given that there is a crucial trip to Australia next month — the two teams are level on points — there was no time to waste.