A shocking exclusion: how is Donis dealing with the first crises of Gulf Cup 27?

A major blow

Georgios Donis faced his first real crisis before the start of "Gulf 27". The technical and administrative staff decided to exclude Musab Al-Juwayr from the Saudi Arabia squad's camp for disciplinary reasons, without revealing the details of the incident. The decision came just days before kick-off, handing the Greek coach a technical challenge no less significant than the disciplinary one.

Al-Juwayr responded quickly with a statement on his Instagram account. He took full responsibility for his conduct and admitted his mistake without justification or excuses, before offering his apologies to the Minister of Sport, the president of the Saudi federation, the technical and administrative staff, his fellow players and the fans of Saudi Arabia.

Mukhtar Ali is not an identical replacement for Al-Juwayr

Donis moved to call up Mukhtar Ali to cover Al-Juwayr's absence. The decision does not mean the team has landed a like-for-like replacement, because the two differ in their characteristics and roles on the pitch.

Al-Juwayr offered an important option in midfield thanks to his ability to operate as an advanced midfielder, to drop back to receive the ball, and to contribute to creating play and controlling the tempo. That function does not appear to be present with the same clarity anywhere else in the squad.

Mukhtar, by contrast, gives Donis different qualities, especially in central areas, defensive roles and balance. The solution, then, will not lie in slotting him into Al-Juwayr's position and expecting the same output. It lies in redistributing the responsibilities across more than one player.

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Here lies the real test for Donis. Does he rebuild the midfield so that another player takes on the task of creating play and controlling the rhythm of the match, or does he change the shape of the team entirely to adapt to the absence of one of its most capable tempo-setters?

The Al-Juwayr crisis is over, but its impact begins on the pitch

Donis and the administrative staff have settled their position on the disciplinary front. Press sources confirmed the decision came to send a message and control the rhythm of the camp, not for technical reasons.

Technically, though, the real crisis begins with the whistle of the first match against Kuwait. Donis will not only be required to replace a player, but to replace an entire function within the midfield.

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Time is running short before the tournament. The closest solution will be to spread Al-Juwayr's roles across more than one player, rather than hunting for an identical replacement, while handing Mukhtar Ali tasks that suit his qualities.

Donis has sent a clear disciplinary message. Yet the full success of the decision will depend on the team's ability on the pitch to fill the void left by Al-Juwayr without losing one of its most important weapons in controlling the rhythm of matches.