Oppressive or Oppressed… The Whole Truth Behind the Split of Conceição and the Union?

The Brigadier interrupts the journey of the Portuguese coach

In football, endings are not always a reflection of the whole truth. Some managers leave because they have failed, others leave because circumstances were stronger than theirs, and between that and Portugal’s Sergio Conceicao stands in a gray area where it is difficult to make a final judgment.

The federation announced a little while ago that Conceicao is leaving the coaching job of the team with an official announcement on social networks.

When the Portuguese coach arrived at Al-Ittihad, he did not get a stable team or a complete project, but found himself in the middle of a turbulent season, confused decisions and increasing public pressure.

While the end was brutal, with the team walking away without a title, holding him fully accountable may be an unfair decision, just as exonerating him of all wrongdoing would be ignoring reality.

Was Conceição a victim of the chaos experienced by the union? Or did he not have the necessary tools to save the already sinking ship?

Mission Impossible…beginning in the middle of the storm

Conceição took over at Al-Ittihad about two months into the season, a difficult period that no manager would envy, as the team lost much of its technical stability while results fell short of the management’s and fans’ aspirations.

The Portuguese coach did not have his preparation period, and he was not the decision-maker in the formation of the inherited list, which deprived him of the most important weapon that is necessary for any new artistic project.

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He also found it required to achieve immediate results in light of fierce local and continental competition, which was difficult to achieve without a stable technical base.

Therefore, many believe that when evaluating Conceição’s experience, the circumstances of his arrival should be taken into account, and not just the final results.

Broken promises…a crisis of lost deals

During the season, Conceicao has hinted more than once that there are technical needs that have not been met by the management, especially after the departure of N’Golo Kante to Fenerbahce.

In previous statements, the manager confirmed that he had received promises to sign a midfielder who could fill the void left by the French star’s departure, but that ultimately did not happen.

This was directly reflected in the balance of the team, especially in the big matches, during which Al-Ittihad lacked control and stability in the midfield.

When a coach asks for support for a vital position and doesn’t get it, it becomes difficult to ask him to present the best possible version of his artistic project.

Star collisions… when relationships fell apart

If the management bears part of the responsibility, Conceicao in turn made mistakes that contributed to the complexity of the scene inside the club.

From the very first days, the Portuguese coach tried to impose his strong personality and strict style, but he failed to win over all the players.

Numerous reports have spoken of tensions and clashes with a number of the team’s stars, including Abdul Rahman Al-Aboud, Steven Bergwein and Moussa Diaby.

These differences affected the atmosphere in the dressing room and created a divided state, which gradually reflected the team on the field.

A style that didn’t find its tools

Conceição was known for having a distinct identity throughout his coaching career based on tactical discipline, high pressure and brutality.

But the problem is that Al-Ittihad’s roster was not fully prepared to adopt this method, especially with players who prefer a football based on attacking freedom rather than strict tactical commitment.

Therefore, in many matches, the team appeared as if they were stuck between two people; The personality of the coach, which he wants to impose, and the personality of the players, which they are used to.

As time went on, the two sides could not reach a real meeting point, and the gap grew larger and larger.

Victim or criminal?

The truth is that Conceicao was not entirely innocent, nor solely responsible for the disaster the Union experienced.

The administration made mistakes in planning and was late in meeting some technical needs, while the coach failed to contain the stars and adapt to the nature of the team he found in front of him.

In the end, everyone paid the price; The administration will lose its project, the players will lose an entire season, and Conceicao will lose his position.

The question remains open for “Al-Ittihad” fans. If the Portuguese coach had a team built with his vision from the start, would he have made Al-Ittihad a success? Or would the ending remain the same, no matter how different the circumstances?

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