The Boss Is Cutting Loose: Shah Vows a Clean House at Al-Zawraa
6 October 2025
Chop and Challenge: Shah Signals a Clean-Out
Abd al-Ghani Shah, the head coach of Al-Zawraa, hinted at leaving the club if he remains after a 0-2 defeat to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the fourth round of the Iraqi Premier League.
Performance, Finishing, and Player Shake-Up
Shah’s post-match remarks were fiery following the home defeat, with the goals coming from Mohammed Jawad (penalty) and the Tunisian Heitham Al-Jawini.
Al-Zawraa has yet to win in the league, drawing with Al-Talaba 1-1 and Karama 0-0, while their round-one clash with Al-Shorta was postponed.
The team has only two points and also lost 0-2 to Al-Nasr of Saudi Arabia in the AFC Champions League group stage.
Shah previously guided Zakho to the Iraq Cup final last season and has built a solid coaching résumé across Iraqi clubs, including a stint as an interim national-team boss.
In his post-match remarks, Shah congratulated Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya on the win but insisted his team controlled the 90 minutes and faced issues translating chances into goals.
He added that finishing touches and the final pass were problematic and that he would meet with club officials soon. “Everything is open,” he said; “if I stay, I will exclude 3-4 players who are not technically ready.”
He warned that restoring Al-Zawraa’s form would be difficult despite solid play in midfield, emphasizing that the league table is about points and apologizing to fans for the results. He stated that if things do not improve, his desire to stay could wane.
The Attack Debate
Shah noted that Kazem Raad was substituted to avoid a potential second yellow and red card, stressing the change was not due to a drop in form. He criticized Bahraini Mehdi Hamidan, substituting him after 35 minutes to inject pace into the attack, arguing Hamidan’s level was not up to par.
He explained that Rizq Bani Hani was brought on to stimulate the attack and reiterated that there are no “stars” at the club, saying numbers will always be the ultimate measure of a player’s value.
Murad Mohammed, a Zawraa player, apologized to the fans after the defeat and stressed that everyone — players and staff — bears responsibility while vowing to fix the issues during the upcoming break and return stronger.
Rashid Jaber’s Praise
On the other sideline, Rashid Jaber, the coach of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, praised his side’s performance, posting on X that the victory demonstrated high tactical quality and great physical effort. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya now sits on 9 points, in fourth place, one point behind the top trio of Erbil, Al-Ghraf, and Diyala.
And yes, football drama aside, expect the transfer window to be as exciting as a last-minute equalizer — just not at Al-Zawraa’s expense this time. Punchline time: imagine Shah’s press conference as a reality show; the twist is you’re never sure which players are leaving or staying, but you’ll definitely be entertained. And if you’re wondering about the humor: my football tactical analysis is so sharp it could cut through a defense like a hot knife through falafel. Endearing, right? Hopefully the team finds the bite they’ve been missing. Now back to your regularly scheduled matchday chaos.
