Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Monday, 05 January 2026, 18:22 / Updated on Monday, 05 January 2026 18:39
Marius Șumudică (54 years old) was officially presented as the new coach of Al Okhdood, a team in the penultimate place in the Saudi Arabian championship. The Romanian technician gave his first reaction after signing the contract, almost eight months after his last experience on the bench.
Sumudica was greeted with flowers upon arrival in Saudi Arabia and returns to a championship he knows well, having trained Al Shabab and Al Raed in the past.
Šumudiča spoke for the first time after the transfer: “I decided to speak very little and let the facts speak”
Al Okhdood's new coach underlined the difficulty of the championship in Saudi Arabia:
“I always told you that I have interesting offers, far above the SuperLiga level, again Sumudica always keeps his word. To get to train here is difficult, but mostly honorable.
There is no point in discussing a championship where, in addition to the big star Cristiano Ronaldo, there are dozens of superstars. It would take us hours just to put them on paper. It's fantastic to play against these tens of millions of euros, let alone coach them.”
Šumudića wanted to thank the club officials for the trust they had given:
“I thank the people of Al Okhdood for their trust. I intended to speak very little and let the facts speak on the ground. In the end we will draw the line and see what Şumudica did in one of the hottest championships in recent years.”
Photo posted by Al Okhdood on his Instagram page
6-month contract, with a clear objective: saving from relegation
The Romanian coach also explained the terms of the agreement:
“I signed for six months, with an option for another year if I manage to save the team from relegation. I know it's a challenge, but I came here because I trust myself and especially my staff.
It wouldn't be the first time we've accomplished things that others thought were impossible. Together with the players and the fans, who are absolutely fantastic, we can do important things here, in the Star League,” said Şumudică, according to fanatik.ro.
Şumudica's debut match on the team's bench
Marius Șumudică's first match on the bench of his new team is scheduled for January 10, at home, against Al Ahli, one of the strongest formations in the championship, full of players with experience in the big leagues of Europe.
The Romanian takes over the new team from 17th place out of 18, with only 5 points accumulated in the first 12 stages. The safe places are not far away, with Al Shabab having 8 points, Damac being on pole 9.
Ranking Saudi Arabia
