Greek coach Giorgos Donis, the technical director of Al-Khaleej Club, expressed his great happiness with the valuable victory achieved by his team over their counterpart Al-Ettifaq, in the mini Eastern Province derby that brought the two teams together as part of the fifteenth round of the Saudi Professional League competition, which was held at the Ego Stadium.
Realistic statements about financial disparities
In the post-match press conference, Donis didn't just discuss the technical aspects of the game, but also addressed the economic challenges facing mid-table clubs in the league. Donis said, "I'm extremely happy with today's victory against a strong opponent like Al-Ettifaq. My team delivered a footballing masterpiece and a tactically brilliant performance, and deservedly earned the win and the three points." He emphasized that this victory would motivate them to continue working hard.
Speaking about the difficulties, Donis made a striking statement reflecting the current state of the football market, saying: "I'm a very realistic person, and I've never asked the management for anything beyond their means. There have been matches where we didn't even have a full bench." He further explained the financial gap: "To be more precise, a player with a high market value, like the stars coming from the English Premier League (referring to major club signings such as the Aston Villa player), could, by his transfer fee alone, bring Al-Khaleej nine players at once, helping us compete more fairly in the league.".
Competition context of the Roshan League
Donis's statements come at a time when the Saudi league is undergoing massive historical transformations, with budgets varying significantly between the four major clubs (Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli), which are owned by the Public Investment Fund, and the rest of the league's clubs. This disparity makes the achievements of mid-table clubs, such as Al-Khaleej, all the more valuable, as their coaches rely on tactical organization and team spirit to compensate for the individual technical differences possessed by the top stars of their rival clubs.
A significant leap in the standings
With this important victory, Al Khaleej Club continued its strong performances this season, raising its points tally to 21 and climbing to seventh place in the Roshan Professional League standings. This position is a significant achievement for the coaching staff and players, as it moves the team away from the relegation zone and closer to the top clubs, thus strengthening its technical and administrative stability in a season marked by fierce competition.
This victory reflects the great work that Donis is doing in building a team character capable of competing with clubs with higher financial capabilities, relying on realism in performance and exploiting available opportunities.
