Electric Sparks for Al-Ittihad: Noor backs Conceicao and calls for a wake-up jolt

Noor's Critique and Conceicao's Challenge

Mohammed Noor, a former Al-Ittihad star, explained that the club's slip in the AFC Champions League Elite stemmed from a weak pre-season, with far fewer friendlies than last season.

The western club's latest continental setback left it with six points, after wins against Iraq's Police and UAE's Sharjah and losses to Al Wahda and Shabab Al-Ahli, and now the defeat to Al-Duhail.

Conceicao's frank assessment and Noor's response

“The main reason for the club's troubles this season lies in the weak pre-season,” Noor said in a TV interview. “We played far fewer friendlies this year.”

He added that the coach Laurent Blanc previously guided the team to league and cup doubles, and that the current coach, Sergio Conceicao, has not yet delivered the same results.

He argued that every new manager wants to prove themselves, and problems reappear over time, so Conceicao's situation mirrors Blanc's.

Conceicao, in his post-match remarks, criticized players for appearing as mere names on the pitch, lacking presence and proper roles.

Despite turning 52, Noor insisted he could play at the same pace his teammates once did and emphasized that execution, not ideas, was the issue.

Noor commented that Conceicao's remarks indicate players' indifference and must be addressed soon.

“Win or lose, it's in God's hands, but we must strive,” Noor said; Al-Ittihad did not fight nor earn what it deserved.

He also stated that Conceicao's remarks were reasonable in tone, stressing that every coach has a personality and approach, and the players need shock prompts to regain form.

As for the next matches, Noor asked how long the players will maintain this level.

Athif Criticizes Conceicao

Ahmed Attif, the Saudi former youth star, argued that Conceicao's statements could ignite more trouble in the Union's dressing room.

He said on TV: “This could have been acceptable if it came from the media; from the coach, it could fuel more problems.”

He warned that players might lax in upcoming games, possibly leading to Conceicao's dismissal and more turmoil that Al-Ittihad does not need now.

He criticized the coach for not punishing players properly, and noted the club failed to add new players or adequately evaluate injuries and stats, suggesting all club assessments were flawed.

Attif also talked about the King Cup clash with Al-Shabab, arguing that conditions favor Al-Ittihad in the cup and that 25% is the only path for Al-Shabab's progression, given cup matchups are often balanced.

He predicted that Al-Ittihad would approach the match with confidence after a win and that the response would be strong.

Next AFC Western Round

The sixth round of matches in the West will be held on December 22-23, with: on the 22nd, Sharjah vs Al-Hilal in Sharjah; Tractor vs Al-Duhail in Tabriz; Al-Gharafa vs Al-Wahda in Al Rayyan; Police vs Al-Ahli Saudi in Baghdad. On the 23rd, Al-Sadd vs Shabab Al-Ahli in Doha and Al-Ittihad vs Nasaf in Jeddah.

In terms of head-to-heads in the group stage, Al-Duhail had lost in the first round 1-2 to Al-Hilal in Riyadh, drawn 2-2 with Al-Ahli in Doha, then dropped a 1-3 result to Al-Wahda in Abu Dhabi, before a 4-1 win over Shabab Al-Ahli in Doha and a 4-2 victory over Al-Ittihad. Al-Ittihad, conversely, lost 1-2 to Al-Wahda in Abu Dhabi, 0-1 to Shabab Al-Ahli in Jeddah, then won 4-1 over Police in Baghdad and 3-0 over Sharjah in Jeddah, before a 4-2 defeat to Al-Duhail.

Punchline 1: If Al-Ittihad were a smoke detector, they’d beep only after the house already burned—time to install a full security system, coach included.

Punchline 2: Noor’s pep talks are like a coffee machine: sometimes they wake you up, sometimes they just spill hot ideas on your shirt. Either way, bring the espresso and let’s reboot the team!