RIYADH: The deputy president of Al-Hilal Club, Prince Nawaf bin Fahd, yesterday fended off suggestions Hilal football team is in shambles after its coach was fired for unacceptable behavior.
Romanian coach Cosmin Olaroiu was getting ready to leave the country following the decision of Prince Sultan bin Fahd, president of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare, to terminate his contract in addition to being banned from coaching any Saudi team in future.
Moments after Hilal won the Crown Prince Cup by beating Al-Shabab 1-0 in the fnal on Friday, Olaroiu threw his shirt bearing the picture of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz onto the ground in front of the prince’s representative at the game, Riyadh Deputy Governor Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz. The GPYW said in a press statement Olaroiu also attacked security guards and refused to go up to the podium to receive the trophy.
Olaroiu, 39, was reportedly angered that organizers did not invite the entire team up to the podium to celebrate their victory.
Prince Nawaf said Hilal is a professional organization with talented players and capable management team.
“Yes, a coach has left the team but we are getting ready to play crucial matches in the Saudi Professional League as well as the AFC Champions League. The coach is just an element of the team and not the whole team,” he said.
The prince said a search for a new foreign coach of a high professional standard from either Europe or South America is under way and one with the same coaching philosophy as Olaroiu so as not to disturb the performance of the team.
Hilal currently leads the Saudi league with 43 points equal with Al-Ittihad, who is in second place on goal difference. The four remaining matches are tough for Hilal because two of these will be against Shabab and Ittihad. Next Tuesday, Hilal will face Saba Batry of Iran in an AFC Champions League match in Riyadh.
Hilal signed up striker Essa Al-Muhayyani from Wehda for SR15 million. Al-Muhayyani, Prince Nawaf said, would add muscle to the Hilal strike force of Yaser Al-Qahtani and Muhammad Al-Anbar.
“Even though we have strong strikers sometimes they face injury or play with the national team. We are always in need of additional strikers with the high capability to fill the void and Al-Muhayyani fits the bill,” he said.
