Fahad bin Nafel, the president of Al-Hilal, found himself under intense scrutiny from passionate fans who were eager for a change in leadership. However, he remained resolute in his decision to stand by coach Jorge Jesus, a choice that he made clear in a social media post leading up to the crucial Friday game against Al-Shabab in the Saudi Championship.
The president’s message was a plea for unity among the club’s supporters as they embarked on the rest of the season. It was during this time that the Portuguese coach faced a barrage of boos from disgruntled fans, especially following two consecutive draws by the team before they secured a triumphant victory over Al-Jabalain in the Saudi King’s Cup.
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In his message, Bin Nafel drew attention to the intricate dynamics within the team, consisting of players, coaching staff, and the administrative board. However, he emphasized that the heart and soul of Al-Hilal resided in its fans, whose unwavering spirit breathed life into the club.
He stressed that it was a collective responsibility to support the team’s stars under Coach Jesus and to stand together in their pursuit of continued success, as symbolized by the hashtag #Al-Hilal_Primeiro.
The team’s struggles, including draws against Navbahor in their debut in the Asian Champions League and Damac in the Saudi Championship, triggered negative reactions from Al-Hilal fans. These reactions were exacerbated by rumors of a discord between Coach Jesus and Neymar, rumors that Neymar publicly refuted.
Bin Nafel acknowledged the importance of criticism as a constructive tool for assessing the team’s performance.
“The right to criticize is guaranteed to anyone and is welcome. It helps to evaluate any work that may suffer fluctuations, supported by all those to whom the work is assigned, whether good or bad”
After seven rounds of intense competition, Al-Hilal maintained an impressive undefeated record in the Saudi Championship, boasting five wins and two draws. However, their most recent draw against Damac resulted in them relinquishing their position at the top of the table to their arch-rivals, Al-Ittihad.
