Missan Mutiny: Iraqi Club Bids Farewell to Abu Zama Amid Rough Start
7 October 2025
Coaching Change at Naft Missan
Naft Missan announced on Tuesday that it has terminated the contract with Jordanian coach Abdullah Abu Zama due to the team's poor results in the Iraqi Premier League, following a 1-4 defeat to Amanat Baghdad.
The club said the breakup occurred in a friendly atmosphere, showing mutual respect despite the difficult period the team has endured.
Season Struggles and Look Ahead
Abu Zama, 49, becomes the fourth coach to depart the Iraqi league this season, after Al-Qasim’s coach, Meed Munir, Duhok’s Sergio Varías, and Al-Zawraa’s Abdul Ghani Shah.
The move highlights the mounting pressure on coaches in the league, where strong results are often needed quickly to secure jobs.
Missan’s statement also thanked Abu Zama and his assistants for their efforts and said a new coaching staff is being considered for the next phase.
The team sits on three points from four matches, after losses to Al-Minaa (1-3) and Al-Gharraf (0-1) and a 2-1 win over Norouz, leaving them 15th.
Looking ahead, Missan must improve quickly, with management focusing on strengthening the squad—via new signings or better training and tactics—to stay in the race.
Analysts say the rapid turnover reflects a league under financial and competitive strain, where clubs chase quick fixes rather than long-term plans.
For fans, it’s a tough but entertaining storyline: every week a coach arrives with a clipboard; by week’s end, the clipboard returns as evidence of another parting.
Missan’s leadership said they want to move forward with careful scouting and a plan to blend experience with youth, hoping to avoid the kind of instability that scorches confidence.
Punchline 1: If you think cliffhangers are only for TV, try watching a midseason Iraqi league coaching carousel—yes, even the subs are on trial.
Punchline 2: If Missan win a trophy this season, I’ll eat my whistle—spectator sport, not a cooking show, right?
