Midseason Shake-Up: Shabab Fires Emmanuel Alguacil as Interim Coach Takes Over in the Saudi Pro League

Coaching Change at Al Shabab

The Saudi club Al Shabab has dismissed their Spanish head coach Emmanuel Alguacil after a run of poor results since the season began. Alguacil had been in charge since the start of the 2025-2026 campaign, succeeding Turkish coach Fatih Terim, but the team struggled across competitions, particularly in the Roshn Saudi League.

Performance and Interim Appointment

Al Shabab announced via its official X account that they had mutually terminated Alguacil's contract, and named national coach Abdullah Al-Mutairi and his staff to lead the team temporarily. The club's statement read: 'The management has terminated the contract of head coach Emmanuel Alguacil and his staff by mutual consent.' The club thanked Alguacil and his staff for their efforts and wished them success in their future endeavors.

It also said Abdullah Al-Mutairi and his assistants would guide the first team in tonight's match in the Gulf Clubs Champions League. The 54-year-old had led the Saudi club in 24 matches across league and cup this season, recording six wins, seven draws and 11 losses. As a result, Al Shabab dropped to 14th in the Roshn Saudi League table with 19 points, coming from 4 wins, 7 draws and 10 losses.

We add a couple of light notes here: 1) If coaching changes were fashion, Al Shabab just released a winter collection called Interim Chic. 2) The board must have bought a season pass to Hurry Up and Wait—tickets are selling fast for the rest of the month.