Three reasons preventing Conte from coaching Al-Ahli Saudi!
The Raqi continues its search for a new coach
Antonio Conte has emerged as a candidate to take charge of Saudi side Al-Ahli in recent days, touted as one of the names to succeed Dutchman Marino Pusic alongside Portugal's Nuno Santo. The club's hierarchy are scrambling to resolve the managerial situation after a slump in results and performances.
First, though, Al-Ahli face a financial headache before they can even sack Pusic. They need to find around 7.5 million euros to cover the remaining obligations in his contract, a hurdle that stands in the way before any negotiations can begin with a coach of Conte's calibre, a man with a rich CV and a string of successes on European soil.
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The Italian's name carries real appeal. Yet three obstacles could make his arrival at Al-Ahli difficult at this stage, even with the management weighing him up.
Financial demands and economic circumstances
Cost ranks among the biggest obstacles to signing Conte, given what landing a coach of his stature would demand, both in salary and in the backroom staff that comes with him.
That comes at a time when Al-Ahli already carry heavy financial commitments. They must stump up 7.5 million euros to terminate Pusic's contract, a figure that piles extra pressure on the budget and makes a fresh, enormous outlay all the more complicated, particularly with no clarity over any appetite to pump in large additional investment right now.
The timing of the appointment and the difficulty of building the technical project
Conte tends to prefer taking charge at the start of a season, giving him time to assess his squad, identify its needs and stamp his tactical ideas on it from pre-season, rather than inheriting a team mid-campaign and trying to shift its direction under the pressure of matches and results.
This looms large in Al-Ahli's thinking. They need to fix their problems quickly, yet they cannot offer a new coach the luxury of starting from scratch. The team are already deep into the season, and any change in style or line-up takes time before it bears fruit.
The need for clarity of the project and technical guarantees
Salary and timing are not the whole story. What matters just as much is whether Al-Ahli can present a clear sporting project to match the ambitions of a coach of Conte's calibre, a man who wants the right conditions for success rather than simply the chance to lead a big club.
The Italian needs to know the shape of the squad he will work with and how far he can strengthen the positions he feels need developing, as well as clarity over his powers and coordination with the board on transfers.
Under the current financial strain, Al-Ahli may not be able to meet all his demands. That opens the door to a clash of visions between the two sides before any agreement can be struck.
Signing Conte, then, hinges on far more than his ability or his big name. It comes down to whether Al-Ahli can provide the conditions for him to succeed, an equation that looks complicated given the club's current circumstances.
