Al-Akhdoud Club announced today, Monday, that it has officially signed veteran Romanian coach Marius Sumudica to take over the technical leadership of the first football team, in a move aimed at rearranging the team’s cards after the termination of the contractual relationship with Portuguese coach Paulo Sergio by mutual consent between the two parties.
The club published a statement on its official social media account welcoming its new coach, which included the phrase: "Welcome Mr. Marius Sumudica," thus announcing the start of a new technical era through which the southern club seeks to remedy its difficult position in the standings.
Rescue mission at a critical time
This radical change in the coaching staff comes as a direct response to the string of poor results that have plagued Al-Akhdoud in recent rounds of the Saudi Professional League. The team is suffering from a significant decline in both performance and statistics, currently sitting second-to-last in the standings with only 5 points. This precarious situation raises serious concerns about the team's survival in the top flight, presenting the new coaching staff with significant challenges in the coming period.
The return of the Saudi football expert
Marius Sumudica is no stranger to Saudi football; he is a highly experienced coach in the Saudi Professional League. This is the Romanian coach's third stint in the Kingdom, having previously managed Al-Shabab on two separate occasions, achieving notable positive results, and also coaching Al-Raed. This prior knowledge of Saudi players and the competitive atmosphere of the Saudi Professional League is a crucial factor that Al-Akhdoud's management has relied upon to shorten the integration and adaptation period.
The challenges of the Roshan League and the aspirations of the fans
The management and fans of Al-Akhdoud Club hope that Sumudica's renowned leadership qualities and passionate touchline presence will instill a new spirit in the players and immediately improve the team's performance. This move is particularly important given the significant development of the Saudi League and its attraction of some of the world's top players, making the relegation battle fiercer than ever. The Romanian coach faces a challenging task: getting the team back on track and away from the relegation zone to ensure their continued presence in the top flight.
