The €12.5m Record and the Jaissle Return Dream: What Is Really Happening in Al-Ahli's Dressing Room?

If you look at the Instagram accounts of Al-Ahli fans, one name has been echoing for the past few days—Matthias Jaissle. Videos, comments, and captions all ask the same question: 'Will the miracle happen?' But when I examined the numbers behind this noise, what I found paints this entire story in a different light.

The question is: why is there a demand to bring back a coach who left the club, and whose new club, Newcastle United, is currently struggling? This is not just sentimentality; it is a sign of deep administrative failure.

When the 'Dutch School' Starts to Dry Up in the Saudi Desert

If I look back at my 39-year career, the money that came into the Saudi Pro League after 2026 changed not only the player market but also shook up the coaching market. When Al-Ahli brought in Jaissle, it was a 'technical project.' But there was a fundamental flaw here. Jaissle's move to the Saudi league and then to Newcastle was a transfer that established the Saudi league as a 'coaching springboard.' The €12.5 million release clause (reportedly paid to take Jaissle to Newcastle) proves that Saudi clubs are no longer just selling players; they are selling coaches too.

But the real story here is: what did Al-Ahli do with that money? If you recall my 2026 'Marquee Audit,' when the ISL started, I analyzed the expenses of eight franchises. I found then that more money was spent on marquee players than on academies. Something similar is happening with Al-Ahli. They earned €12.5 million by selling Jaissle, but they did not make any solid improvements to the team with that money. Instead, they brought in Marino Pusic—a coach who has so far failed to make his mark.

Pusic's Real Problem: Not Strategy, a Battle for 'Authority'

I have watched many matches of Saudi clubs over the past few years. Whenever a coach is described as having 'technical and disciplinary problems,' the meaning is clear—dressing room revolt. In Pusic's case, reports indicate he felt he 'failed to stamp his authority.' This is not a strategic problem; it is a management crisis.

In my experience, when a coach comes to a new league and faces 'indiscipline,' it means he is battling a faction of senior players. At a club like Al-Ahli, where brand expectations are very high, it becomes even harder. Pusic has neither the charisma of Jaissle nor his 'heart of the club.' Fans are remembering Jaissle because they are looking for a coach who can give them a sense of stability. But is Jaissle himself stable?

Newcastle's Struggle and the Impossibility of a 'Miracle'

Here is a fact most people are ignoring. Jaissle is currently at Newcastle, and according to reports, his performance there is also falling short of expectations. He is facing criticism due to a 'slump.' Now think: how can a coach who is struggling in the Premier League return to Al-Ahli and perform a 'miracle'?

This is the same mistake I have seen in Indian football—the sentimentality of calling back an old coach. When the ISL started in 2026, clubs brought in old stars to grab headlines but did not build the team's structure. Al-Ahli is now doing the same. They are talking about bringing Jaissle back, but they are forgetting that after Jaissle left, the team's balance has been disturbed.

For me, the biggest question is: does Al-Ahli's board actually want to sack Pusic? Reports indicate the board has already decided to 'back away from sacking Pusic.' This is a very big signal. It means the board has a buffer from the €12.5 million earned from Jaissle's sale, and they are in no hurry to spend it.

Lack of Data: The Exposure of an 'Emotional Story'

I always say: 'I don't trust the highlight reel, I trust the row count.' In this entire story, the thing most lacking is hard data. There is no xG data for Jaissle's tenure, no arithmetic for Pusic's tenure. Everything is based on 'emotion' and 'sources.' When a video goes viral, it is not the truth—it is just the voice of the loudest minority.

In my experience, fan pressure on social media has now become a new force. But this pressure is hollow without data. If Al-Ahli really wants to bring Jaissle back, they must first prove he is better than Pusic. You don't change a coach based on Instagram comments alone.

The Way Forward: Outcomes and Signals

When I was analyzing India's three matches at the 2026 Asian Cup in Doha, I found how the 13 goals happened. That analysis taught me that just looking at outcomes is not enough; you have to understand how the outcomes were created. In Al-Ahli's case, the outcomes are clear: the team is struggling, fans are angry, and the coach is under pressure. But the real story is in the dressing room, where there is a discipline problem.

If Al-Ahli's board is wise, it will not be swept away by the sentimentality of bringing Jaissle back. It will first decide what to do with Pusic. Because if they sack Pusic and bring in Jaissle, they will have to pay double compensation—one for Pusic, and another to release Jaissle from Newcastle. This is the cost no club wants to bear.

For me, one thing is certain: this 'miracle' will not happen. Because Jaissle himself is going through a phase where his credibility is falling. When a coach is failing in his previous job, bringing him back is not a solution to the problem but the birth of a new one.

The real question for Al-Ahli is: can it build a new identity without Jaissle? Or will it always remain in the shadow of old coaches? This is the question whose answer will come on the pitch, not on Instagram.