Greek coach Giorgos Donis, manager of Al-Khaleej FC, sparked controversy after his team's 1-1 draw with Al-Taawoun in the 21st round of the Saudi Professional League. Donis's criticism wasn't limited to the refereeing performance; it extended to the immense pressure the match schedule places on players and clubs.
In the post-match press conference, Donis posed a direct and pointed question to the refereeing team, expressing his frustration with the unfair allocation of stoppage time. He said, "My question to the referees is, why isn't stoppage time being added fairly? We've been suffering from this in more than one match ." This statement reflects the coach's growing frustration, as he believes his team has been disadvantaged by this issue in previous encounters, impacting their results in the tight points race.
Background of the controversy and its importance in the Saudi League
This controversy comes at a time when the Saudi Professional League is experiencing a historic boom, attracting major international stars and placing the competition under intense global media and fan scrutiny. In this context, refereeing errors, or even controversial decisions, have become a hot topic of discussion and directly impact the league's reputation. Statements from an experienced coach like Donis, who has a long coaching career in the region, including stints with major clubs such as Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Al-Wahda of the UAE, carry added weight and put significant pressure on the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's referees committee to review and improve performance.
Player fatigue and a busy schedule
Donis didn't stop at criticizing the refereeing; he also highlighted an equally important issue: the physical exhaustion resulting from the high number of matches. He explained, "No team in the world's leagues plays nine matches a month. This is exhausting and dangerous for the players, leads to injuries, and prevents consistent performance ." These words point to a global challenge facing modern football, where the congested schedule increases the risk of injuries and lowers the players' technical level, negatively impacting the quality of football that the Saudi League strives to offer the world.
Regarding the course of the match, Donis noted that his team played an outstanding first half and squandered numerous opportunities that could have secured an early victory. He added, "We played a beautiful first half and missed many chances; we had opportunities that could have ended the match right from the start." This analysis reveals that his frustration stems from his feeling that external factors, such as refereeing decisions and fatigue, prevented his team from achieving a well-deserved win that was within their grasp.
In conclusion, the draw between Al-Khaleej and Al-Taawon was not just a result in a match, but opened the door to vital discussions about the future of refereeing and the need to consider the safety of players in light of the rapid development that the Roshan League is experiencing, which are challenges that require radical solutions to ensure the continued success of the Saudi sports project.
