Sergio Conceicao Doors In with Fire: A New Era for Al-Ittihad Jeddah

Appointment and Profile

Portuguese coach Sergio Conceicao has been appointed head coach of Al-Ittihad Jeddah for two-and-a-half seasons, taking over from Frenchman Laurent Blanc, who was dismissed last week after a string of disappointing results.

Conceicao is known for a strong personality in the locker room and a rigorous, no-nonsense approach. He speaks plainly about his emotions and decisions, avoiding jargon or psychological games, a style that has earned respect from players who crave clarity while occasionally stirring tensions with some clubs.

Celebrations, Controversies, and Discipline

He is famous for loud, unmistakable celebrations. In his Porto and Milan days he celebrated trophies with a big cigar, sunglasses, and dancing to the music, a display that underscored his belief that triumph deserves color and character rather than quiet stoicism.

Conceicao's passion, however, has also sparked controversy. He has been linked to tense clashes involving officials and, in one report, a Spanish mayor after a youth tournament, leading to legal action and counter-claims about who started the dispute. The stories illustrate a coach who wears his heart on his sleeve and is not afraid of the consequences.

His relationships with stars have yielded notable episodes. In 2020, during a Porto league match, he substituted Moussa Marega, and the forward reacted by leaving the stadium and heading to the dressing room. Conceicao answered that any player who rejects the coach's decisions has no place in the squad. There were other frictions too, like a tense exchange with defender Danilo Pereira over a day off and the subsequent team meal, which briefly turned sour. The player left the camp, and Porto moved on; Conceicao's stance remained that discipline is non-negotiable. There was also a reported incident with Davide Calabria during Conceicao's Milan tenure, where a substitution led to a heated exchange that required team intervention to avoid a bigger clash.

Coaching Philosophy and Career Highlights

On the pitch, Conceicao blends realism with high-octane intensity. He is comfortable with multiple formations—4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, and variations—depending on the opponent, always aiming to keep his team aggressive in midfield, pressing relentlessly, and launching rapid transitions from the wings or through direct vertical passes. He demands hard work and strict discipline in both defense and attack, while maintaining flexibility to swap roles as needed.

His managerial journey spans more than a decade. After starting as an assistant at Standard Liege in 2010, he took his first head coaching roles with Olhanense in 2012, then Académica Coimbra, Sporting Braga, and Vitória de Guimarães, followed by a brief stint at Nantes in 2017. The defining chapter came with Porto, which he led from 2017 to 2024. In 368 matches, he won 265, drew 48, and lost 55, collecting 11 titles—three league titles, four national cups, three super cups, and one league cup. Porto scored 803 goals and conceded 317 under his tenure, a testament to his balanced yet aggressive philosophy. In Jeddah, Conceicao inherits a project with high expectations and a history of demanding standards, but with a coach who believes football should be played with pace, purpose, and a touch of flair.

Punchlines will be included at the end to keep things light: 1) If coaching were a gym, Conceicao would bench-press the entire squad—twice. 2) His tactical notes are so sharp, you could slice a cucumber with them, then watch the team cut through defenses in one fluid pass.