Why Al Ahli turned to Marino Pusic after Matthias Jaissle’s departure

Al Ahli have entered a new phase after officially appointing Dutch coach Marino Pusic to replace Matthias Jaissle, who had led the team during the past three seasons.

Pusic was not the name most widely discussed in the days before the announcement. However, his appointment does not appear to be a decision made simply because the club needed a new coach before the start of the season.

Instead, Al Ahli’s choice suggests a clear technical direction. The club appears to have assessed what it wants from its next manager and concluded that Pusic was the right fit for that vision. His arrival therefore represents more than a change on the touchline: it marks the beginning of a different stage for the team.

The appointment also carries an important message about expectations. Pusic is not being presented as someone with a “magic wand” who can immediately transform every aspect of the side. Rather, the decision appears to reflect a belief that his approach can serve Al Ahli’s longer-term sporting plans.

That distinction is significant. Changing managers before a new season can often be viewed as a reaction to pressure or disappointment. In Al Ahli’s case, the move seems to have been made with a broader technical assessment in mind. The club has chosen to move on from Jaissle after three seasons and place responsibility for the next phase with Pusic.

Although his name attracted less attention than some other possible candidates, that lack of widespread discussion does not mean the appointment lacks purpose. It may instead indicate that Al Ahli’s decision was based on internal considerations rather than on the profile attracting the most public headlines.

The club’s reasoning, as presented, points towards a considered recruitment process. Al Ahli were not merely searching for any available replacement for Jaissle. They were looking for a coach who could take charge of the team at the beginning of a new chapter and work within the footballing direction they had identified.

The change will naturally bring questions about how the team develops under its new manager. Those questions, however, cannot be answered simply by the announcement of Pusic’s contract. His arrival does not guarantee an instant solution, and the coach does not possess a magic wand.

What the appointment does provide is a clear starting point. Al Ahli have formally closed the three-season Jaissle era and placed their next stage in the hands of Marino Pusic. The choice may not have been the most predictable from the outside, but it appears to have been driven by a defined footballing view rather than by the need to make a hurried appointment before the season begins.

That is the central explanation for the move: Al Ahli have not necessarily chosen the most widely discussed name, but one they believe matches the direction of the club.