The wave of coaching dismissals in the Jordan Pro League continues, bringing one of the most controversial issues in Jordanian football back into focus: the strained relationship between short-term results and club administrations’ patience with coaches. The situation is unfolding amid growing pressure from fans and expectations that often leave decision-makers with insufficient time to assess performances and make corrections.
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The announcement by Shabab Al-Ordon Club that it had dismissed its Spanish head coach, Carlos Alberto, in the fifth round of the Pro League has added another name to the list of coaches who have left their positions this season.
Ahmad Hayel was dismissed by Al-Hussein Irbid in the second round, while Waseem Al-Bazour departed Al-Wehdat after the third round. Meanwhile, the positions of several other coaches appear increasingly precarious as criticism intensifies and some teams’ results deteriorate. Reports indicate that more than one coach could face dismissal in the coming days.
This phenomenon is not unique to the current season. Rather, it reflects a recurring pattern in Jordanian football, where poor results become a turning point in the relationship between a coach and the club’s management, and dismissal becomes the most prominent option when crises deepen. Against this backdrop, questions arise about the value of repeated changes and whether they give teams a genuine opportunity to get back on track or simply return them to square one, caught in a cycle of new appointments and the search for quick fixes that do not always address the root causes of the problem.
Last season saw widespread changes among the coaching staffs of Pro League teams, with all teams’ coaches reportedly leaving their positions either during the season or at its conclusion. This is worth examining, particularly as the repeated pattern raises a fundamental question: Is the problem confined to the coaches, or does it point to deeper flaws in clubs’ management practices and their planning for football seasons?
In many cases, dismissal appears to be the quickest solution available to club administrations when results decline, in the hope that a change will provide a psychological and technical boost and return the team to winning ways.
However, changing the coach does not necessarily guarantee improved performances, particularly when the decline stems from weak recruitment, a lack of options in certain positions, delayed preparations or administrative instability.
This raises a more important question: Have club administrations provided all the conditions necessary for success before holding their coaches accountable? Were coaches selected according to a clear technical vision and realistic objectives, or are some appointments made under competitive pressure, only for results to become the sole measure by which the entire experience is judged?
From a technical perspective, a coach cannot be held solely responsible for failure, but neither should he be exempt from accountability. He is responsible for tactical decisions, match management, developing players’ performances and making the best use of available resources. However, he cannot bear sole responsibility for the quality of recruitment, the lack of alternatives or circumstances beyond his authority.
The pressure from fans during periods of crisis cannot be overlooked, particularly at clubs with large fan bases whose supporters consistently expect competition and victories. Fans have the right to criticize and demand better results, but club administrations are responsible for responding to these demands rationally and listening to supporters without allowing technical decisions to become direct reactions to public anger or criticism on social media.
National coach Mohammed Al-Khatib said that the repeated dismissals of coaches in the Pro League require club administrations to review how they select coaching staffs and the criteria they use to assess their work. Results remain important, he noted, but they are not sufficient on their own to judge a coach, given the differences in resources and circumstances from one club to another.
Speaking to Al-Ghad, Al-Khatib added: “Objectives must be set at the beginning of the season, and the coach must be given an opportunity to work according to a clear vision, while the team’s needs should be met as far as possible. At the same time, there must be an objective technical assessment based on performances, results and the team’s progress, rather than rushed decisions that may fail to address the real causes of the problem.”
Football observer Khaled Al-Mousa said that fan pressure and declining results put club administrations in difficult positions. However, constantly changing coaching staffs can negatively affect teams’ stability and players’ cohesion, particularly when a team is forced to change its playing style more than once during the season.
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting: Yahya Qutaishat
