The Al-Ahly team is going through a turbulent technical stage, since the Dutchman Marino Pusic took over the technical leadership task, as the results of the major matches came below the aspirations of the green stadium, coinciding with the emergence of indications that the coach needs more time to impose his style and build a clear artistic personality.
Pusic, who is 54 years old, does not have a long track record as a first coach, as he had experience with the Dutch club Twente for one season, the Ukrainian Shakhtar for two seasons, and the UAE’s Al Jazira for a season, while he spent the bulk of his coaching career in assistant roles.
Pusic's start with Al-Ahly reveals a clear difficulty in dealing with major matches technically, as the team lost to Al-Khuloud 3-1, then suffered a heavy loss against Al-Hilal by 3-0, before falling to Al-Qadisiyah 3-2.
On the other hand, former German coach Matthias Jaisse's start with Newcastle was more positive in the big matches, when he tied with Liverpool 2-2, then beat Tottenham 2-0, before drawing with Bournemouth 2-2.
What is noteworthy in the comparison between the late coach and the current one is that Yasla succeeded early on in presenting a clear artistic personality during strong and competitive competitions, which is what Al-Ahly lacks so far with Pusic.
This comparison alone does not mean that one coach is better than the other, but it puts Pusic in front of one fact, which is that a great coach is required to show his personality quickly, especially when he takes over the leadership of a team competing for championships and has a roster full of international players.
One of the most prominent question marks that accompanied Pusic’s start with Al-Ahly was the constant changes in the lineup and technical choices from one match to another, which was reflected in the team’s shape and stability on the field.
The coach has not yet settled on a basic combination that gives the team a clear identity, in light of the constant switching between players and positions, which makes some elements unable to build the required harmony, especially in the back line and midfield.
It is true that the pressure of matches forces any coach to resort to rotation, which is what Pusic himself pointed out, but rotation is different from the lack of consistency in elements and roles. Managing physical loads does not necessarily mean changing the team's shape frequently, especially when results need stability more than ever before.
Some of the choices also raised questions among the fans, whether at the level of choosing the basic elements, the timing of substitutions, or the distribution of roles on the field, which raises question marks about the artistic vision that Pusic wants to implement.
In the press conference after the loss to Al-Qadisiyah, Pusic tried to explain the decline in results, stressing that the team creates many chances, but suffers from conceding goals easily.
He said: “I don’t know how the team lost in the past three seasons, but I don’t think you lost less than we lose now.” The reason is simple at the moment. We concede goals easily, but in return we create many chances. At the present time, we need to regain our defensive solidity.”
He also stressed that the previous numbers do not concern him, saying: The previous numbers do not matter, what is important is what is happening now.
These statements reveal the coach's attempt to focus on the current problems, but the continuation of defensive errors and the decline in results in the summit matches put the technical staff before a real test, especially with the approaching of more important matches.
Aside from the numbers and results, discussions began to appear about Pusic’s personality inside the locker room, especially after some of the scenes that accompanied the Al-Qadisiyah confrontation.
The most notable of which is Zakaria Hawsawi leaving the bench and heading to the dressing room after the warm-up period, in a scene that was interpreted as an expression of his anger over his non-participation, in addition to the verbal altercation that occurred between Evan Tony and Muhammad Abdel Rahman in front of the coach in the Al-Qadisiyah match.
These scenes, regardless of their real reasons, place the coach in front of a greater responsibility in imposing discipline and managing the dressing room, because the success of any artistic project does not depend on the tactical aspect alone, but also requires a personality capable of managing the stars and maintaining the unity of the group.
The next important confrontation for Al-Ahly fans against Sun Downs will be more than just a match, as it is the final of the Confederations Cup, and it will be a real test of the character of Al-Ahly and its coach.
The team that lost three consecutive summits needs a strong response, not only in order to achieve the title, but also to regain confidence and prove that the past results were a passing phase and not a reflection of the team’s true level.
In the final, there will not be much room for experiments or uncalculated changes. The match requires a clear formation, specific roles, accurate technical reading, and the ability to deal with the details of the confrontation.
However, if the defensive errors, the absence of personality, and the inability of the technical staff to control the team’s rhythm and manage its stars continue, the pressure on Pusic will increase significantly.
At this stage, Al-Ahly does not only need a coach who asks for time, but rather a coach who invests the available time to demonstrate a clear identity, a strong personality, artistic stability, and results that convince the fans that the artistic project is moving in the right direction.
The Sun Downs final remains the most important stop for Bosic so far. Either it will be a gateway to rearranging the scene and restoring the confidence of the fans, or it will increase the volume of questions about the coach’s ability to lead Al-Ahly in the next stage.
