CONCEICAO'S S. ARABIA CONFESSION: "FOOTBALL IS NOT A PROFESSION"

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport; experienced manager Sérgio Conceição, who worked at the Saudi Arabian representative Al Ittihad team in the 2025/26 season, made highly striking and remarkable statements about the period spent in the Asian country. The successful coach revealed in all its nakedness how far the football environment in Saudi Arabia is from European standards. Criticizing the general attitude of the local footballers in the team, the experienced name expressed the difficulties faced directly with his own words. Touching upon the mentality difference in the club, the Portuguese coach stated that the main problem stems from cultural differences by saying, "The local players aren't demanding. They don't do it because they're bad or because they don't want to. It's simply a matter of culture. There is no true culture of demand, of work, and of commitment." Arguing that this amateur approach makes team management impossible, Sérgio Conceição summarized the seriousness of the situation with the striking determination, "Football isn't yet considered a true profession," emphasizing that some footballers do not even attend training. Stating that local players constantly produce different excuses to avoid responsibilities, the technical man shared the tragicomic events experienced with the words, "They always find an excuse: a family member who's not doing well, or religion, with a prayer to perform at 5 a.m." The damage caused by these excuses to the club's functioning was exemplified with the expressions, "If we schedule a training session at that time, some simply don't come." The successful football man, known for a disciplined attitude throughout the career, stated that this difficult and exhausting process experienced on the Asian continent added a different perspective and concluded the statements as follows: "For me, with my way of seeing things, all of this is very hard to manage. Really very hard. This experience taught me a tremendous amount." These striking statements, proving that the level of professionalism has still not reached the desired point despite the massive investments in the Saudi Arabian league, have already managed to arouse a massive echo in the world football public. Fans and sports critics seem to discuss these facts conveyed by the experienced name for a long time.

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