Conceicao’s Saudi Sprint: How the New Al-Ittihad Boss Plans to Reboot a Struggling Start

A Fresh Start in Jeddah

The Portuguese coach is renowned for his fighting spirit and strong personality, and he arrives in Saudi Arabia with a clear objective: lift a team that has hit some bumps this season and restore balance as quickly as possible.

Conceicao began his duties with Al-Ittihad by taking charge of the team’s training at the club’s base in Jeddah, aiming to craft the right blend that can translate into results and renewed confidence on the pitch.

His opening sessions have centered on boosting physical conditioning and tactical discipline, while he has held one-on-one talks with several players to understand their needs and to spark motivation ahead of his first official matches.

Early Beginnings

Historically, Conceicao has shown a knack for impactful starts. Across seven head coaching stints, his first matches have often offered a glimpse of the work ethic and tactical intensity he will insist on throughout a season.

In his earliest roles, he collected a handful of opening-game wins and a few defeats, with no draws in those starts, underscoring a preference for decisive football from the outset.

He cut his teeth at Olhanense in Portugal, opening with a 2-1 loss to Maritimo, a rough start that didn’t define the rest of his arc. His next job with Coimbra in 2013 began with a 1-0 setback to Braga, another modest setback on the road to bigger tasks ahead.

Paradoxically, his next encounter with Braga produced an early victory in a later stint, a 3-0 win over Boavista that signaled his growing ability to turn beginnings into momentum. When he left Braga for Vitória de Guimarães, his first match against his former club ended in a 1-0 defeat, a reminder that football’s twists can love you or taunt you in equal measure.

Further adventures with Nantes and Porto reinforced a pattern: his teams often win their first matches, setting a tone for what follows, while his Milan chapter showed a different precision in domestic showdowns and European ambition, leaving behind a lasting impression of a coach who expects his players to fight until the final whistle.

Early Start with Al-Ittihad

With Al-Ittihad, Conceicao prepares for a first official test against Al-Fayha on Friday, as part of the fifth round of the Saudi Pro League. The aim is straightforward: to give fans a glimpse of a new, coherent style and to restore trust that the team can compete for the top spots again.

Historically, the club has enjoyed success against Al-Fayha, but this encounter carries extra weight as the coach seeks to translate past experience into immediate results. There is a sobering psychological challenge too: lifting a squad that has faced recent disappointments and re-igniting confidence across the locker room.

Conceicao could be on course for an opening win that would push his early-start tally into the five-mindset range for beginnings, a psychological boost as he builds his squad’s identity.

Looking ahead, the calendar looks stern: a month that features clashes with Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr—the league’s traditional powerhouses—and a round-of-16 Cup tie that will further test his methods and the team’s resilience under pressure.

A Tailored Tactical Approach

Known for a robust, passionate style anchored in tactical discipline and pragmatic execution, Conceicao emphasizes solid defensive organization and quick transitions in attack. He is flexible with formations, often deploying a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1, but he does not cling to a fixed scheme; the setup shifts to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses while preserving the team’s fighting spirit.

Central to his philosophy is high-intensity pressing through midfield, compressing space in front of the defense and forcing errors that can unlock counters through the flanks. Physical conditioning and strict defensive duties accompany a readiness to swap positions among wingers and midfielders to maintain balance and pressure on the ball carrier.

During his successful Porto spell, Conceicao blended realism with aggressive forward play, keeping a well-structured defense while capitalizing on crosses and vertical passes to the attackers. He has earned a reputation for pushing players to fight until the final whistle, a quality fans hope to see replicated with Al-Ittihad.

In short, Conceicao’s arrival signals a return to brisk, purposeful football with a clear plan: rigorous preparation, disciplined defense, and swift, incisive attacks designed to turn hard work into tangible results for Al-Ittihad.

Two punchlines for good measure: if football had a GPS, Conceicao would say, recalculating… until the team actually reaches the goal. And if style points were enough, the scoreboard would be lit like a Christmas tree; alas, it’s the results that light up a manager’s smile.