Former Iraq, Jordan coach Adnan Hamad favourite to land Al Shaab opening

Marius Sumudica and Al Shaab part ways, and Iraqi Adnan Hamad tops the list of possible successors

Marius Sumudica was sacked by Al Shaab over the weekend, becoming the seventh Arabian Gulf League manager to be shown the door this season. Satish Kumar / The National

DUBAI // Adnan Hamad, the former national coach of both Iraq and Jordan, has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Marius Sumudica as coach of the Arabian Gulf League side Al Shaab, it was learned Sunday.

Hamad helped Jordan finish third in the final round of Asian group qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. He was replaced ahead of the final stages by the Egyptian Hossam Hassan. Hamad, the former Iraq international, was expected to attend Sunday night’s match between Shaab and Al Ain to watch the team before he makes a decision on the club’s offer.

The club said the decision to part ways was by “mutual consent” following a meeting between the Romanian and the new head of Shaab’s technical committee.

Sumudica was relieved of his duties last week with Shaab languishing at the bottom of the Arabian Gulf League table with four points from nine games. Yet the coach continued to attend the team’s training sessions, led by the Turkish interim coach Jamsheer, to “honour” his contract, Sumudica said. Sumudica, 42, claimed he had not received any formal intimation about his dismissal.

The club said two sides have, however, agreed on a “compromise” severance package, which will be made official once Sumudica’s Albanian agent arrives in the country. The settlement was reached following a meeting between the manager and Sarhan Al Mayani, the new chief of Shaab’s technical committee.

“We asked the coach about the real reasons that are responsible for the team’s dismal position,” Al Mayani said, suggesting he was not satisfied with the coach’s replies. “The coach is like a doctor and he must find a prescription for the ailments of the team.”

Al Mayani also hinted that Sumudica’s theatrical reactions to events on the pitch were among the reasons for the team’s deteriorating performance. “He should have been leading the technical work to the fullest instead of clowning around, which affected the team a lot,” he said.

With the Sumudica issue settled, the technical committee will be looking to name a successor in the coming days. The Tunisian Lutfi Benzarti and Frenchman Rene Marsiglia, each veterans of the Arabian Gulf League, are among other candidates being considered.

Al Mayani did not reveal the names of the coaches Shaab might be considering, but he promised the “technical committee will spare no effort in choosing the right coach, who will lead us through this difficult stage.

“We are determined to correct this situation and the new coaching team will be given full support and powers to help the team meet our ambitions and targets,” he said.