Is the Saudi federation repeating the mistakes of the past? Strong warning over Donis's future

Speculation is mounting over the future of Greece's Georgios Donis at the helm of the technical leadership of the Saudi national team, despite the successes he has achieved with Saudi Arabia over the recent period, the latest of which was winning the Arabian Gulf Cup title, at a time when Saudi football voices have begun calling for maintaining technical stability and rejecting the idea of change before the upcoming challenges.

Caught between reports touting replacements for the Greek coach and calls for him to stay until the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation faces hard questions about the national team's technical project. Was it wise to even consider parting with a coach who breathed new life into the side, despite the failure at the 2026 World Cup?

Press reports have speculated that Georgios Donis could leave the Saudi national team in the coming period, specifically before the start of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. The name floated as his successor is the Spaniard Roberto Martinez, the former manager of Portugal.

What makes these reports striking is how little time Donis has spent in the post. He took charge of Saudi Arabia last April, succeeding the Frenchman Herve Renard just two months before the start of the 2026 World Cup.

The World Cup fell flat. Saudi Arabia exited in the first round, managing only a 1-1 draw with Uruguay and a goalless draw with Cape Verde, while suffering a heavy loss to Spain by four unanswered goals. They ended their campaign in last place in Group 8 with two points.

Those results tell only part of the story. The assessment of Donis's tenure cannot be reduced to the World Cup, especially after the Greek coach delivered an important achievement that returned Saudi Arabia to the podium.

Donis led the Saudi national team to the title of the Arabian Gulf Cup in its 27th edition, "Gulf 27", last October. It was Saudi Arabia's first title in 23 years.

Nor was the title merely an addition to the Greek coach's record. It came after a distinguished campaign, during which the Saudi national team showed a great deal of discipline and effectiveness, winning four of five matches and settling the fifth on penalties.

Defensive solidity defined the run. Saudi players scored eight goals without conceding once across the entire competition, a clear sign of the improvement under Donis.

Look at the Greek coach's full tally and the picture sharpens. Across 12 official and friendly matches, Saudi Arabia have claimed six victories, four draws and two defeats, scoring 16 goals and conceding nine.

Amid the controversy over Donis's future, Saudi voices have called for him to stay, arguing that the current stage cannot bear a new technical experiment with important fixtures drawing near.

Khaled Al-Hazzaa, the former Al-Nassr player, backed the Greek coach staying, pointing to the development the Saudi national team has shown in fighting spirit and performance on the pitch.

In statements to the Saudi newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat", Al-Hazzaa warned that changing the manager now could unsettle the players and the technical staff, damaging the stability the national team has begun to build.

The former Al-Nassr player left no room for doubt about his position, saying: "I support continuity, and strongly", a stance that reflects his rejection of abandoning Donis's work merely because of speculation about his future.

Al-Hazzaa was not the only one defending the coach. Saud Al-Hammad, the former Al-Hilal and Saudi national team player, also backed Donis staying, praising his technical work with Saudi Arabia and the results under his leadership, chief among them the Gulf Cup, plus the level the national team showed against South Korea.

A warning followed from Al-Hammad: terminating the Greek coach's contract could become a decision the Saudi Arabian Football Federation regrets, given the comfort the players feel with his working style and the technical stability the national team needs in the coming stage.

Donis, for his part, made no secret of his displeasure at the growing speculation about his future. He rejected the rumours surrounding his fate as unfair and warned of their potential to poison the working atmosphere within the national team.

His frustration landed just as Saudi Arabia beat South Korea 3-2 in a friendly last Friday at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital Doha, part of the national team's preparations for the upcoming fixtures.

The win carried exceptional weight. It was the Saudi national team's first over South Korea in 21 years, since 2005, when Saudi Arabia beat their opponent home and away by scores of 2-0 and 1-0 in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

Six encounters had passed since then without a single Saudi win. South Korea took two of them and four ended in draws, before Donis broke the curse and led Saudi Arabia to a long-awaited victory.

The Gulf achievement, the improved performances and the win over South Korea all feed the same argument: build on what has been achieved rather than start from scratch. The final decision still rests with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, which must weigh the coach's results, the ambitions of the coming stage and the importance of stability before the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.