Amman - Al-Faisaly's new head coach, the Portuguese João Mota, who is the first coach from Western Europe to take charge of the club, faces a series of technical, physical and morale challenges. His task is not an easy one, particularly as he took over at a delicate moment that calls for quick action to reorganise the squad, restore balance, and end the slump that has accompanied the team in recent matches, both domestically and in continental competition.
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Mota did not have enough time to learn about his players' abilities or the technical details of the squad. He found himself leading Al-Faisaly just two days after taking the job, in a match against Shabab Al-Ordon that ended goalless. It was a result that fell short of the fans' expectations, added to the bleeding of points, and left questions hanging over the team's ability to get back on track in the race for the Pro League title.
The Portuguese coach's task is made harder by the number of fixtures ahead for Al-Faisaly. The challenges are not limited to the league. They extend to the AFC Challenge League, where the club are now at risk of going out at the first stage after a series of unsatisfactory results. They need to win their next two matches, against Qatar's Al-Rayyan and Oman's Al-Nahda, and hope their rivals slip up, if they are to keep their continental hopes alive. That is a difficult outcome to achieve.
Domestically, Al-Faisaly no longer have much room to waste more points, particularly as the title race becomes harder as the competition goes on. Any fresh slip could put the team under additional pressure and affect their chances of staying close to the teams at the top.
Al-Faisaly have continued their slump, failing to win for the fifth consecutive match in all domestic and continental competitions. They drew twice and lost one of their last three Pro League matches, dropping seven valuable points, as well as stumbling in their two matches against Saudi club Al-Taawoun in the AFC Challenge League.
The current break, which lasts about 20 days, is an important opportunity for Mota and his coaching staff to put their house in order and address the imbalances that have appeared in the team's performances, whether in defensive organisation, attacking effectiveness or coordination between the lines. It also gives them the chance to assess players' physical and technical condition, and to find the line-up best able to carry out his ideas.
However, despite its importance, this period will not be free of challenges, with a number of key players absent through injury or because they have joined national teams. That may deprive the coaching staff of the benefit of having the squad complete for a significant part of the preparation period.
The injury list is the main source of concern. Several players are suffering from various injuries, led by Ihsan Haddad, Anas Al-Awadat and Ahmad Al-Arsan. These are players with experience and technical ability who could be an important addition to the team, particularly as the side need more options and a greater ability to cope with the pressure of matches.
During the break, Al-Faisaly will also be without several players called up to the national team: Abdullah Al-Fakhouri, Ahmad Abdrabbo, Anas Badawi, Ghaith Al-Madadha and Nour Al-Din Al-Rawabdeh. Ahmad Al-Arsan has been released from the national squad after being injured, and a number of the club's players have joined the Olympic team. This means Mota must work with a squad that does not have all its options available during the preparation phase.
The challenges do not end there. The issue of Burkinabé import Saeedou Sembouri is also prominent. His contract with the club runs until the end of the current season, after he left the team. Information from the club's management says the player was granted three weeks' leave for family reasons, while other reports give different accounts of why he left. This means the matter needs clarifying, to preserve stability within the squad and avoid any interpretation that could add to the controversy surrounding the club.
On the morale side, Mota faces a challenge no less important than the technical ones: fans' dissatisfaction with the performances and form of a number of local and foreign players.
Former Al-Faisaly administrative director Maher Ta'meh believes the club is going through a period that needs calm, considered technical handling. He says the new coach João Mota needs time to get to know the players' abilities and to identify the team's strengths and weaknesses, particularly as he took on the job in difficult circumstances and without enough preparation time.
Speaking to Al Ghad, he said: "The coming period is very important for reorganising the situation. The coaching staff must focus on fixing the flaws in the team's system, raising the level of understanding between the players, and restoring confidence and morale. The team has some good names, but it needs to make better use of their abilities."
Ta'meh added: "The absence of several players through injuries and international commitments is an additional challenge for Mota." He stressed, however, the importance of using the break to prepare the substitutes and give them opportunities, and not to rely on a small group of players. He said: "Al-Faisaly need clear technical solutions, not just changes of names, if they want to return to competing at home and revive their hopes in Asia."
Source: Al-Ghad. Reporting by: Yahya Qatishat
