Nordin Zekri: No Illusions Here — The Real Story Behind Hamdallah and Carrasco's Fallout

Al-Shabab coach clears the air on Hamdallah and Carrasco saga

Algerian coach Nordin Zekri, head coach of Al-Shabab, rejected the notion that the foreign duo Hamdallah and Carrasco renewed their dispute, stressing he treats all players like family.

Al-Shabab drew 1-1 with Al-Ettifaq to cap matchweek 25 of the Roshen Saudi Pro League.

"I have a contract with Al-Shabab and I am currently coaching the team, and in a short period we began to notice gradual improvement in performance, with a clear change step by step. What matters to me is to work realistically and continuously develop the team; I do not sell dreams in the Roshen Saudi League," he said.

"There is a coach who settles for fairness in his decisions, and another who understands his players and deals with them correctly. For me, I always try to play the father role in the team, because the human relationship with players is as important as the technical aspects," he added.

"When issues arose within the squad, I worked to resolve them quickly through calm dialogue and sitting with the players, which helped overcome the situation in a short time. Mutual respect among players is the foundation of any team and one of the most important secrets to success."

Regarding the renewed rift between Hamdallah and Carrasco, Zekri said: "What happened at that time was nothing more than a misunderstanding, and it was contained and resolved at the time; the players have great experience and are important members of the team, and they fully understand the size of the responsibilities on their shoulders."

He concluded: "Ultimately, everyone at Al-Shabab plays with one spirit and for one goal, which is to achieve victories and collect three points, and we will continue with the same spirit and focus in the coming period to deliver the best for the team."

Punchlines: If my strategy were a sniper rifle, it would be aimed at eliminating doubt and scoring goals. And coaching is 90% talking players off the ledge, 10% tactics; I’m basically a therapist with a whistle.