RIYADH, 13 June — Saudi Arabia plan to reorganize their football federation after the team’s poor performance at the 2002 World Cup finals in Korea and Japan, with coach Nasir Al-Jowhar expected to be in the firing line.
“There will be a comprehensive reorganization of all the technical and administrative bodies...(It) will not be done hastily but calmly and after thorough study,” Al-Watan daily quoted Prince Turki ibn Khaled, the team’s supervisor, as saying.
“We were shocked by more than disappointing result against Germany which not even the most cynical person would have expected.
“We regained some hope against Cameroon but lost despite an honorable performance, only to play an extremely bad game against Ireland.”
Saudi Arabia conceded 12 goals and failed to win a point from their three group matches, never recovering from the 8-0 demolition by Germany in the opener.
The newspaper said the planned changes were expected to affect Al-Jowhar, in his second spell in charge of the side, with manager Faisal Al-Hadi also vulnerable.
Al-Jowhar apologized the supporters at the end of the campaign, adding: “I promise to do my best in the future.”
Al-Jowhar was unable to live up to his name as “Mr Fixit” in this year’s finals as the Saudis finished bottom of Group E without a point or a goal.
Al-Jowhar believes he knows how the Asian giants can move on after two disappointing World Cup finals campaigns.
“In 1994 the Saudi team did really well and made the second round and we are proud of what they achieved.
“Nevertheless, we shouldn’t always remember the past but look to the future because football has progressed a lot in the eight years since then and it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do the same.
“People in Saudi Arabia should lower their expectations because there is a great deal of difference between Belgium and Morocco (the two sides they beat in 1994) and Germany, Cameroon and Ireland.”
Al-Jowhar, who said he would like to remain on the technical staff even if he does not continue as coach, said a reshaping of Saudi football was required if they were to make a bigger impact next time.
“Everything will be open for discussion when we return home but at the moment comparisons are not relevant because if you were to do that then you could say we are on a par with France having failed to score like them.
“But we also beat Senegal and Denmark before the finals, whereas they were beaten by them.”
Keeper Mohammad Al-Deayea, who committed two howlers in the 3-0 defeat by Ireland and promptly announced his retirement, said that he had been pressurized into playing at the finals because he could break the world record for caps despite wanting to retire beforehand.
“I want to give a chance to other goalkeepers who are better than me and deserve to play for the national side,” he said.
Meanwhile, the eight unanswered goals Saudi Arabia leaked against Germany led to a number of caustic jokes. Saudi Arabia, whose nationals are well-known for their love of luxury cars, “have banned the import of eight-cylinder German cars,” runs one.“Name the German player who didn’t score against Saudi Arabia,” runs another.
