Football Season Guide

Just like in past seasons Damac are taking a risk. Only a week before the start of the new campaign they have just 11 players on their roster. Lack the financial power of most Saudi Pro teams so their approach is to wait until the last minute before they sign a bunch of players on discount. Before long at least 14-15 new arrivals can be expected but the early months of the season will likely be a struggle. The chances of survival will all depend on how many quality players snubbed by other sides, or wishing to go out on loan, Damac can add to their ranks. Last season was a struggle. Finished only 2 points above the bottom 3 and all campaign flirted with danger. The ability to win at home against the teams around them proved vital in the end. The tough campaign saw Nuno Almeida sacked in late March and the season was finished under a caretaker. Now another Portuguese specialist Armando Evangelista is taking charge. His experience is only in Portugal so far, with his latest job being in charge of Famalicao. Evangelista feels unease about Damac’s approach to wait deep into the year before signing players but he knew this will happen before he arrived. Right now the 11 squad members under contract could become regular starters early on. Using 5-man defence at least in the opening few weeks seems likely as the flood of new arrivals expected are still settling in and getting into shape. The only new signing so far is centre-back Jamal Harkass and he is expected to be a regular starter all season.