Al Ahli’s Pusic dilemma: Why a costly contract has blocked a change of coach

Marino Pusic’s position at Al Ahli appeared increasingly uncertain before their AFC Champions League Elite meeting with Al Sadd, with previous reports suggesting that a defeat or failure to win could lead to the Dutchman’s departure.

However, the match ended in a 1-1 draw and, despite continued questions over Al Ahli’s performances, no decision was taken to dismiss the manager. The outcome has raised further questions about why the club did not proceed with a change that had appeared increasingly likely.

According to broadcaster Abdulrahman Amer, speaking on the programme Dorina Ghair, the main obstacle is financial. He said Al Ahli’s executive management had already settled on making a change in the technical department because of dissatisfaction with the team’s level and its declining results in recent weeks.

The difficulty lies in the terms of Pusic’s contract, which runs for two seasons until June 2028. The agreement does not contain a straightforward, low-cost release clause that would allow Al Ahli to end the relationship by paying a limited amount.

Instead, terminating the contract would require the club to settle the salaries covering the remaining period of the deal. Amer said the financial commitment involved is about 7.5 million euros, equivalent to more than 45 million Saudi riyals.

Pusic is also insisting on receiving his full outstanding entitlement before agreeing to leave, according to Amer. That position has left Al Ahli facing a substantial cost at a time when the club is already considering how to respond to a run of disappointing results.

The draw with Al Sadd, therefore, did not necessarily represent a renewal of the club’s confidence in the coach. Nor did it trigger an immediate dismissal. Instead, the proposed sporting decision has been held up by the financial consequences of ending the contract now and paying the remaining wages through to its scheduled conclusion.

Al Ahli’s continued association with Pusic consequently appears to be driven less by a clear decision to maintain him in charge than by the scale of the compensation required to remove him. The club is left weighing two difficult options: pay a bill of more than 45 million Saudi riyals to make a change, or retain the manager while poor results and criticism continue.

The situation leaves Pusic’s future unresolved despite the executive management’s reported desire for a different coach. The financial structure of his agreement has, for now, prevented Al Ahli from turning that intention into an official dismissal.