It's not just big name players who are moving to the Pro League.
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00:00 Some of the world's biggest names are moving to Saudi, but it's not just the players.
00:05 Big name managers are heading to the Pro League too.
00:08 On this week's episode, we're taking a look at those in charge and what it could mean going forward.
00:13 Hello there, welcome to Football Now from Doha.
00:20 After a transfer window that saw them spend over 800 million euros,
00:24 a figure only eclipsed by the English Premier League, the Saudi Pro League is growing at a rapid rate.
00:29 So far this summer, we've seen the likes of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Konte, Sadio Mane and Neymar, amongst others, make the move.
00:36 But it's not just the players that have transferred to the kingdom.
00:39 On this week's show, we're taking a look at some of the managers who have made the move to Saudi.
00:43 So what can those at the top expect when they come to the Middle East?
00:47 So for managers that might be away in work in Saudi Arabia, it's the chance really to get on the ground floor of a league that has enormous ambitions.
00:54 It's self-professed that it still has some way to go.
00:56 We've seen the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nuno Espirito Santo say that themselves,
01:00 that the facilities might not be a top five league yet, but the plans are in place.
01:05 So if you're a manager who comes in now, you might have a chance to play a really influential role and help you build that.
01:10 I guess it's a decision. It's like if you can maybe stay in Europe with maybe a middling team in a top flight or even a championship team, a second division team,
01:19 or you can go to Saudi Arabia, try something new and with real prospects of growth.
01:24 Yeah, very different type of challenge for many coaches who've only ever managed in Europe then.
01:29 Let's now take a look at some of those who have made the move, starting with the man with the top job, Roberto Mancini.
01:34 Mancini was named Saudi Arabian national team coach in August after leaving his Italy post.
01:39 His time at the Azzurri was tumultuous. After taking charge in 2018, he led his side to glory at Euro 2020,
01:46 but then failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
01:51 So Mancini is the real, you know, is the big headline, the big name, because we are talking about the champion of Europe, of Italy.
01:59 The fact that he is taking the helm at the Saudi Arabian national team is important also from PR view, obviously, because it's a big name.
02:08 That part of it that is left with regard to the current reform and the current, I would say, football revolution in the country,
02:16 is what they are planning for players development, the opportunity to work with the best coaches in the national level with Mancini and his team.
02:25 I would say a good way to show the progress of Saudi, what it's making in football, also in the national level and the national team.
02:33 One man no longer in a job in Saudi is Nuno Espirito Santo.
02:37 The former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager won the league with Al-Ittihad in his first season,
02:42 but reports of a row with Karim Benzema saw him get moved on. So just how important is player power in the modern game?
02:49 I think what I would say is that star power is a product of 21st century football.
02:54 It's not necessarily something unique to Saudi Arabia, unique to Asian football indeed,
02:59 but we've seen the likes of Benzema, etc., wield tremendous power at clubs the size of Real Madrid.
03:06 So I wouldn't say it's something unique to Saudi Arabia.
03:08 One man hoping to settle into Saudi life quickly is Steven Gerrard.
03:12 The former Liverpool captain joined Al-Ittifak in the summer and whilst the Dammam side have high hopes,
03:16 there isn't necessarily an expectation for silverware. So what are the fans made of the appointment so far?
03:22 It's absolutely huge. He's won everything, hasn't he? So, you know, he's an absolute talisman.
03:32 So what he did for Liverpool, I'm hoping that he can bring that to Al-Ittifak and just even just a little bit of that.
03:40 If that rubs off on this team, then Saudi Arabia are in for a fun ride.
03:45 He's absolutely huge. To the football world, he's massive. Talisman, done everything that you can in the game
03:54 and just brings everything to wherever he works, plays.
03:58 You can see the way he works, the way his teams are playing, the standard he's raising,
04:03 the players that are coming to the club. Yeah, he's bringing a lot to the game.
04:09 Other managers who have made the move from Europe include Jorge Jesus, who returned to Al-Hilal in July,
04:14 having guided them to the Saudi Super Cup back in 2019.
04:18 The Portuguese coach had spells at Flamengo, Benfica and most recently Fenerbahce in between his Middle East stints.
04:26 Slavon Bilic is another who has returned to the Kingdom. The former Croatia manager is now the top man at Alfeti.
04:31 He'll be hoping to build on the side's sixth-place finish last season.
04:35 Lui Castro was the man tasked with managing Cristiano Ronaldo & Co when he took over at Al-Nasr from Rudy Garcia.
04:42 The Portuguese has previous experience in the region, having been the head coach of Al-Dahail in Qatar.
04:48 Well, half of the Saudi Pro League is made up of coaches that have come from Europe.
04:52 Those incoming names will be hoping that they can use their experiences to transform the division into one of the world's best.
04:57 So what can we expect going forward?
05:00 But I think there should be a healthy balance at the moment for the national team players,
05:07 the youth development pathway for the younger players,
05:11 but also that the league also will have a huge platform for the big stars, let's say.
05:19 This combination is something unique, but it should be managed well.
05:24 In Saudi Arabia in general, people are really happy about the new sports season,
05:28 about big names coming to Saudi Arabia, about not only big names coming to Saudi Arabia,
05:34 but about showing the world what football means to the Saudi people and the new image of Saudi Arabia.
05:40 Saudi Arabia as an open country, welcoming people from all over the world.
05:45 Yes, it's going to be an interesting few years ahead. That brings us to the end of this week's show.
05:49 Do let us know your thoughts at home using the hashtag #FootballNowProLeague,
05:52 and we'll see you at the same time next week. Bye for now.
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