Dutchman Bosz appointed as Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia coach

Al Ahli Saudi FC has signed Dutch coach Marino Pušić on a contract extending to the summer of 2028, replacing German manager Matthias Jaissle, who opted to pursue a new challenge with Newcastle United, the club announced. In a statement on its official website, Al Ahli said: “Al Ahli Club is pleased to announce the appointment of Marino Pušić as head coach of the first team. The Croatian-Dutch coach has signed a two-year contract until June 2028.” It added: “Marino Pušić joins Al Ahli with extensive experience in European and Gulf football. In the Netherlands, he worked with clubs including Twente, AZ Alkmaar, and Feyenoord. During his tenure at Twente, he led the team to promotion to the Eredivisie after winning the Eerste Divisie title in the 2018-2019 season. At Feyenoord, where he worked alongside Arne Slot, he was part of the coaching staff that won the Eredivisie title in the 2022-2023 season and reached the UEFA Europa League final in the 2021-2022 season.” Pušić begins his role amid significant changes at Al Ahli, as the club has parted ways with several of its star players, including Algerian Riyad Mahrez and Ivorian Franck Kessié, who were key figures in Al Ahli’s victory in the AFC Champions League Elite. Al Ahli held a pre-season training camp in Spain and Portugal ahead of the new campaign, and will kick off their domestic league campaign against Al Diriyah on the 13th, followed by a match against New Zealand’s Auckland City in the Intercontinental Cup on the 26th. Meanwhile, Al Ittihad Saudi FC has bolstered their squad by signing Senegalese international defensive midfielder Dion Lopy, arriving from Spanish side Almería, as announced the day before yesterday. The club revealed the deal on its X (formerly Twitter) account with a promotional video featuring the player wearing an Al Ittihad jersey, saying: “From my first touch of the ball, I learned that matches are not decided by goals alone, but by determination and fighting spirit on the pitch.”