Marino Pusic faced fierce criticism from Tunisian analyst Tarek Diab after Al-Ahly suffered a devastating 3-0 defeat to Al-Qadisiyah in the Saudi Roshn League on Tuesday. The loss at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam exposed serious defensive and tactical vulnerabilities in the club's setup during the opening 45 minutes.
Diab, a prominent pundit for Thmanyah's Roshn League coverage, delivered a scathing assessment of Pusic's performance, calling sarcastically for the Dutch manager to be replaced at half-time. "Changing the coach is the best thing that could happen between the two halves," Diab said, adding that Al-Ahly would be better served "with players playing without a coach" rather than continuing under Pusic's direction. The analyst highlighted Al-Ahly's complete absence in midfield and defensive control, noting that Al-Qadisiyah's dominance was total across the first half.
A Troubling Start to Pusic's Tenure
The loss marks another stumble for Pusic, who took charge at the start of the 2024-25 season following Matthias Jaissle's departure to Newcastle United. In his first five Roshn League matches, the former Partizan Belgrade manager has already lost two games, a record that questions his tactical adaptability in Saudi football. The 3-0 scoreline represents only the fourth time in Al-Ahly's Saudi Roshn League history that they have conceded three goals without reply, underscoring the severity of this collapse.
For a club of Al-Ahly's stature and ambitions, such defensive disorganization raises urgent questions about coaching methods and player morale. Whether the board acts on Diab's blunt assessment remains to be seen, but the pressure on Pusic is now unmistakable heading into the second half of the season.
