The first Portuguese coach to write history with Shabab Al-Ahli

Jardim is the new 'coaching genius' in the Pro League

  • Leonardo Jardim. Emirates Today

  • Shabab Al Ahli players carry Jardim after beating Bani Yas and winning the league title. Cinematographer: Najeeb Mohammed

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Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim recorded his name list of the best coaches in the history of the Professional League, after he led Shabab Al Ahli to crown the league title for the eighth time in its history, to confirm the success of the bet of the management of the «Dubai Knights» on the former coach of Monaco and Al Hilal.

Shabab Al Ahli went through a new phase in its history after the football company in the «Dubai Knights» announced last summer its contract with Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim, to become the first Portuguese coach to coach Shabab Al Ahli throughout its history, as the ball company bet that the team will present an exceptional season under the leadership of the 48-year-old coach, and Jardim has already succeeded in returning the league title to the club's treasury after an absence of seven years.

The Portuguese coach added his name to the list of honor with many coaches who led the training of Shabab Al Ahli throughout its history, and belonging to ancient football schools, most notably Hungarian Hidekuti, German Winfred Schaefer, Frenchman Alain Michel, Spaniard Quique Sanchez Flores, Romanian Olario Cosmin, Argentine Rodolfo Arruabarrena, and Arab coaches, Sudanese Fawzi Al-Ta'isha, Tunisian Youssef Al-Zawawi, as well as national coach Mahdi Ali.

Although Leonardo Jardim made the worst start for Shabab Al Ahli in the last 11 editions of the Pro League, the team got seven points out of 15 points in the first five rounds of the competition by losing to Sharjah and Al Dhafra and drawing with Ittihad Kalba and beating Dibba Al Fujairah and Al Wahda, in addition to asking a number of fans of the «Dubai Knights» to dispense with his services, but the new «genius training» in the league led Shabab Al Ahli to overturn expectations on a large number Of the league followers, the team was excluded from the competition for the title, and Jardim won victory after victory and his clear mark in the team's technical leadership and fruitful interventions in many matches.

The Dubai Knights topped the standings for the first time in the 10th round, and lost it in the 12th round before returning again to first place in the 13th round, and fell to second place in the 16th round, then returned to the lead in the 17th round and did not give it up to lead Shabab Al Ahli in 15 rounds out of a total of 26 rounds.

Leonardo Jardim has great experience in European leagues and the same in Asia, as his most prominent stations are in Europe, which began in 2003 with his compatriot Camcha and then coached the Portuguese clubs Braga and Sporting, Greece's Olympiacos (with whom he won the league and cup titles in 2013) and Monaco (with whom he was crowned champion of the French league in 2017 after an absence of 17 years and qualified for the semifinals in the Champions League, before moving to coach Saudi Al Hilal and achieve with him the AFC Champions League and Super Cup titles. Local.

Hassan Ibrahim: The administrative system contributed to Jardim's success

Former Shabab Al Ahli player Hassan Ali Ibrahim confirmed that the administrative system in the «Dubai Knights» is the main reason for the success of Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim with the team in the current season.

Ibrahim told Emirates Today that the great role of the club's management contributed to providing the technical stability witnessed by Shabab Al Ahli throughout the season, explaining: «Despite injuries and criticism by some followers of the team's deals, along with the not good start in the first rounds of the league, but the club's management dealt wisely with the situation and provided all support to the coach and players».

He added: «I see that the administrative role contributed to the rallying of the players and the technical staff inside the dressing room and during training, and made the team's focus on returning to victories and providing a great season in the league».

Ibrahim praised the Portuguese Jardim, and said: «Shabab Al-Ahli coach dealt very well with the injuries suffered by a number of players, as he is a great coach with excellent potential and previously won the AFC Champions League title with Saudi Al Hilal».

"Jardim was distinguished by his balanced media statements and focus on working with the team without paying attention to any problems outside the team."

He concluded his remarks by saying: «I see that the national players are one of the most important reasons for the success of Shabab Al-Ahli in winning the league title, as their influence is greater than foreign players».