Saud Kariri calls on Al Ahli to restore discipline after Al Hilal defeat

Saud Kariri has urged Al Ahli’s management and players to separate the club’s off-field problems from their football after Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat by Al Hilal in the postponed third-round match of the Roshn Saudi League.

The former Al Hilal and Saudi Arabia midfielder said Al Ahli must deal with its internal difficulties away from the pitch, following a period of mounting criticism directed at the club. He also called on everyone involved to accept responsibility and ensure administrative issues do not affect the players’ concentration or performances.

“What is happening at Al Ahli is certainly sad, but the management must separate the players from what is happening, and the players must also focus on the pitch and forget everything outside it,” Kariri told Thmanyah.

Kariri’s comments came after Al Ahli suffered a heavy defeat against Al Hilal, known as Al Zaeem, in a rearranged league fixture on Tuesday. The result added to a difficult start to the season for the Jeddah club, which had already been beaten by Al Kholood.

The former Al Hilal player said Al Ahli’s internal problems should not be reflected in the way its footballers behave during matches. In his view, the team requires greater discipline and concentration if it is to recover its form and remain in contention for trophies this season.

He also criticised the conduct of players who react negatively after being substituted.

“It is not right for a player to leave for the dressing room after being substituted; this is very bad. As I said, the players must forget what is happening in terms of administrative setbacks in order to return to the right path and compete again,” he added.

Al Ahli are now under increasing pressure to respond quickly, rebuild confidence and correct their course as the campaign progresses. Their successive defeats by Al Kholood and Al Hilal have intensified concerns surrounding the team and increased the importance of a positive reaction in their next matches.

Kariri believes the solution does not solely depend on a change in the technical staff or the arrival of new players. Instead, he argued that Al Ahli must first recover its focus and discipline inside the dressing room, while creating a clear division between administrative decisions and events on the field.

That message places responsibility on both the club’s leadership and its squad. Management must prevent its difficulties from becoming a distraction, while the players must ensure their attitude and attention remain centred on football once matches begin.

Kariri’s intervention comes from a former Al Hilal star after his old club inflicted a significant setback on Al Ahli. His advice was direct: administrative disagreements can be addressed away from the pitch, but the team’s chances of returning to competition will depend on its players setting those issues aside during matches.

With the rounds continuing, Kariri warned that further distraction could make Al Ahli’s attempt to re-establish itself among the contenders increasingly difficult.