NEOM's epic victory over Al Hilal 2-0 in the Saudi Professional League reflects the amount of work done by the club's management during the last period, and confirms that the team is proceeding according to a different strategy this season, based on building an integrated system that combines studied technical choices, smart investment in the transfer market, and continuous administrative work, in addition to the clear development in the technical side under the leadership of French coach Christophe Galtier.
The victory against Al Hilal revealed more clearly the extent of the transformation that NEOM has witnessed, not only in terms of results, but also in the team’s character on the field, and its ability to deal with big matches, and to play against competitors with experience and high quality, which reflects the work that took place during the summer, whether in choosing elements or preparing the appropriate environment for the team.
One of the most prominent reasons for the development that NEOM is experiencing this season is due to the way the club’s management dealt with the transfer market. The goal was not simply to sign big names, but rather to search for players capable of providing the real technical addition, with appropriate budgets, while taking advantage of the opportunities available in the market.
The signing of Frenchman Malang Sarr represents one of the most prominent examples of this, especially since the player came without a contract, to constitute an important addition to the back line with his experience and capabilities.
Jordanian Muhannad Abu Taha and Greek Giorgos Masouras are also among the options that reflect this strategy, in addition to benefiting from Argentinian Valentin Vada coming from Damak, who has become one of the important elements in the team’s system, and his presence will contribute to giving the team additional solutions at the offensive level.
These choices were not separate from each other, but rather came within a vision aimed at forming a balanced list that combines experience, young elements, and players capable of adapting to the nature of the Saudi League.
At the administrative level, the continued presence of club president Meshari Al-Mutairi has played an important role in the current stage, through closely following up on all the details related to the team and working to provide the basic requirements needed by the technical staff and players.
During the summer period, work was done to prepare the club from various aspects, in coordination with the CEO-designate, Sherif El-Zayer, the Sports Director, Dorikas Kyriakos, and the Assistant Sports Director, Ahmed Hegazy, with the aim of building a system capable of working in a more professional manner, and not focusing only on the team on the field.
The presence of Ahmed Hegazy gave the players more space to communicate and present their needs, and helped create a state of harmony within the team, especially with his knowledge of the nature of the locker room and the pressures that the players go through during the season.
It also highlights the role of Fayez Al-Subaie and Muhammad Al-Shamrani in preparing the players psychologically and mentally before the matches, and contributing to dealing with the circumstances and difficulties that the team may face, providing a more stable and focused atmosphere.
It seems that this aspect has begun to be clearly reflected in the team, especially with the provision of a more appropriate training and preparation environment, which gives the players and technical staff more space to work and prepare for competitions.
One of the important steps the club took was to rent the National Club facility for a full season with the possibility of renewal, a step that helped provide a more stable environment for the team.
The facility is no longer just a place for training, but has become part of the daily work system, with the provision of a hall for physical preparation, and spaces for sports training, in addition to devices and equipment that help the technical staff in implementing its training programs, and others related to the medical and rehabilitation aspects.
Such details may not appear directly to the public, but they make a big difference in building a team capable of competing over the course of a long season, especially in light of the multiple tournaments and the pressure of matches.
On the technical side, it seems that French coach Christophe Galtier has a better understanding of the nature of the Saudi League compared to the beginning of his experience.
He became more aware of the difficulty of competition, the diversity of playing styles, and the differences in strengths and weaknesses between teams. He also became closer to local and foreign players, which was reflected in the way he dealt with matches and his artistic choices.
Galtier no longer deals with the league from the perspective of names only, but rather he reads the competitors more accurately, and searches for the method that suits each match, which was demonstrated in NEOM’s ability to deal with the confrontation with Al Hilal and achieve a great result against one of the most prominent teams in the competition.
NEOM's victory over Al Hilal was an extension of what French coach Christophe Galtier put forward before the confrontation, when he talked about the difficulty of the match and the strength of his opponent, but at the same time he stressed that his team would go to Riyadh in search of the three points, and with a different mentality than just keeping up with Al Hilal.
Galtier put respect for the opponent in the right place, when he pointed out that Al Hilal is one of the best teams in Saudi Arabia and Asia, but he stressed that this does not mean fear of it, calling on his players to give everything they have and use the confrontation as an opportunity to show the team’s potential.
NEOM Club's strategy was not limited to foreign players, but also included attracting Saudi players in positions the team needs.
Among the most prominent names are “Haroun Kamara, Faisal Al-Ghamdi, Khalil Al-Absi and Abdulaziz Al-Othman,” in addition to the return of Muhannad Al-Saad to better levels after his return from foreign professionalism, and the remarkable brilliance of Abdul-Malik Al-Ayiri and Islam Hawsawi, in addition to the recovery of Muhammad Walid from Al-Taawoun and the presence of experienced players Muhammad Al-Buraik, Alaa Al-Hajji and Khalifa Al-Dosari.
NEOM's current combination seems more mature than before; The team includes more than one player with experience in the Saudi League, in addition to foreign and young players who are being developed.
The Greek Masouras, who comes from the Gulf, and the Argentine Valentin Vada are two of the elements who know the nature of the local competition, while the Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette and the Polish Marcin Bulka are continuing their second season with the team, which gives it more stability and experience.
The group also includes elements such as Amadou Kone and Nathan Zizi, players from the French club Brest and Nantes, who were recruited from the French clubs Brest and Nantes. These are options that give the team more room for artistic diversity, and open the door to developing elements that could be part of the club’s future.
Most importantly, this development appeared despite the absence of a number of important elements from the team, led by the Algerian Said Benrahma, in addition to the absence of the Greek Masouras, which makes the victory against Al Hilal more important from a technical standpoint.
The team was not at full strength, yet it was able to provide a performance that reflects the depth of the roster and the variety of options, which is an important point for any team that wants to compete in a long season.
When all the elements return and the list is more complete, Galtier will have additional technical options, whether in the starting lineup or on the bench.
The upcoming international break, coinciding with the holding of the Gulf Cup, will be an important opportunity for NEOM to work on increasing harmony between players, raising physical and technical readiness, the return of injured players, and addressing some details that still need development.
The team that appeared against Al Hilal could be more different after the completion of the elements and the return of the injured, especially since NEOM is on the verge of an important event, which is participating in the Gulf Champions League.
Participating in the Gulf Champions League will give NEOM another opportunity to show the development the club has witnessed, especially since the team will not enter the tournament in the same way it started the season.
Administrative work, technical stability, the quality of options in the transfer market, the multiplicity of local and foreign options, in addition to the improvement of the training and preparation environment, are all factors that make NEOM have a real opportunity to provide different levels on the continent and the Gulf.
In the end, the victory over Al Hilal cannot be read in isolation from the project the club is working on. The result was a reflection of work that began since the summer, and a strategy based on choosing the right player, providing the appropriate environment, and giving the technical staff the necessary tools.
If NEOM is able to maintain this approach, and with the completion of its ranks during the coming period, the team may be facing a completely different stage, not only at the Saudi League level, but also when it represents the country in the Gulf Champions League.
After the final whistle, NEOM's dressing room witnessed great joy, which reflected the value and importance of the victory for the players and the technical staff, especially since the victory came against a competitor the size of Al Hilal and in its own backyard.
