Elite and league double not enough: Al-Muntashari surprises Al-Ittihad fans
A striking statement from the manager of Al-Ameed
Al-Ittihad team director Hamad Al-Muntashiri turned heads with a bold declaration after Friday night's 3-1 win over Al-Faisaly in the seventh round of the Saudi Roshn League. The team's ambitions, he insisted, stretch well beyond chasing silverware. The club's fans, he added, deserve more than anything that can be delivered on the pitch.
Al-Ittihad boast a standout squad and a coaching team capable of leading them, according to Al-Muntashiri. He pointed to the sense of unity inside the club as one of the biggest reasons behind the Chief's recent run of positive results.
Read also: The secret behind Vieceg's sadness despite the win over Al-Faisaly! "We have a good group and a distinguished coach, united and hardworking, and our fans are behind us and we will fight for them," Al-Muntashiri said. The players and staff, he noted, feel the weight of responsibility on their shoulders, especially given the fierce backing from the stands.
Top of the Roshn League table after seeing off Al-Faisaly, Al-Ittihad might have been tempted to talk up their position. Al-Muntashiri refused. He stressed the season had barely begun and that the team treats each match on its own terms, without fixating on the standings.
"We are not thinking about the top spot, and we are still at the start of the league," he explained. The message was clear: keep the players clear of pressure and focus on the work, rather than treat a temporary lead as the season's endgame.
The biggest surprise, though, came when Al-Muntashiri turned to what the fans are owed. "Even if we win the AFC Champions League Elite and the league, we would not give the fans their due," he said. It laid bare the club's appreciation for its supporters and, at the same time, just how sky-high the ceiling of ambition inside the Chief has become.
He signed off with a line that carried the club's name and its meaning: "In the name of Al-Ittihad, united." That unity, he argued, will be a vital weapon for the Chief in the weeks ahead after the win over Al-Faisaly kept the good results coming.
For Al-Ittihad's supporters, the words offer a fresh dose of optimism. Talk of the league title and the AFC Champions League Elite came from within the dressing room itself, just as the Chief look to build on a strong start and fight on every front. The biggest goal of all, though, remains pleasing the fans who stand behind the team.
