Shaab coach sacked in seventh casualty of Arabian Gulf League this season

The Brazilian blames players but pays for poor performance as the club is rooted to the bottom of the table.

Marius Sumudica has said earlier that he was not getting the performance as desired from players he was asked to pick. Satish Kumar / The National

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Marius Sumudica has been dismissed as coach by Al Shaab, bringing to seven the number of Arabian Gulf League coaches, from 14 who started the season, to be released before the midpoint of the fixtures.

Shaab enter the 10th round of competition rooted to the bottom of the table, on four points, and Sumudica’s ouster had been expected.

He seemingly sensed he was in his last days when, before Shaab’s President’s Cup match with Al Dhaid this week, he said he would no longer take the blame for the club’s performance.

“The problem of Al Shaab is not the coach but the players,” he said. “There are calls to give opportunities to certain players and when I give them a chance, they do not perform to the desired level.”

Sumudica’s fate perhaps was sealed when his club drew 2-2 with Dhaid on Monday, a second-division side, then were ousted 6-5 from the President’s Cup in a shoot-out.

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