Veteran Journalist Calls for Urgent Decision on Roberto Mancini’s Future as Saudi National Team Coach Amidst World Cup Qualifying Struggles

Veteran Saudi journalist Turki Al-Ajma sent a sharp message to the Saudi Football Association regarding Roberto Mancini, the coach of the national team.

The Italian coach is going through difficult days after Al-Akhdar’s defeat against Japan and his disappointing draw with Bahrain in Jeddah in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. launched to demand his ouster and hire a new coach before the next clash against Australia.

The Football Association, through its president, Yasser Al-Meshal, had stated after the draw with Bahrain that they would consider the available options and make the co- appropriate closure soon regarding Mancini’s future, but so far, almost 5 days after the game, yes. There were no comments from the Football Association.

Al-Ajma, in his program yesterday “Kora”, called on Al-Ittihad officials to make a quick decision regarding Mancini, pointing out that the case would not have taken so long if he had to be associated with one of the big clubs in the Roshen League, emphasizing that the national team for the Saudi public is the most important and the biggest.

He said, “We still don’t know the decision regarding Mancini, even though several days have passed since the Bahrain game. The decision is the prerogative of the Football Association, but we want to know. They have the right to renew confidence in the coach if they see that he is good and that the project is going well. know the decision and the direction of the Union because this is all our national team and that is what is important to us.”

He continued, “If the case had happened with one of the big clubs, the fans would not have been patient at all. We want to know as soon as possible the decision of the coach .Use your simplest rights and make the decision, but tell us I’m afraid we will make the right decision at the wrong time in the crowd of league and Asian games Our national team is more important than all the clubs and this is the main place for us.”

Al-Ajma concluded by stressing that the loss of the team affects everyone, not just one party, noting that the public and the media are waiting to happy with the decision.