The Saudi Roshn League schedule for the current season has stirred controversy among media figures and sports critics. Opinions have split over how the league association has handled fixture congestion and the postponement of several matches. Some considered the new scheduling an appropriate solution to the demands of the stage, while others saw it as proof of delayed decision-making and the absence of a backup plan.
Differing views emerged on the programme "Nadina" over the work of the competitions department. The debate sharpened after the postponement of several matches for Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr, the congestion it created in the schedule for the coming period, and objections from some clubs over match dates.
Hamad Al-Sunai defends the competitions department
Hamad Al-Sunai defended the work of the competitions department. He stressed that the current season is among those in which clubs have received the most rest periods, and praised the decision to take clubs' opinions before approving the scheduling. Playing consecutive matches in a single week within the league's competitions, he explained, is better than distributing the pressure across different tournaments.
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He also rejected the criticism over changing the order of the rounds. What the competitions department did, he argued, represents the optimal solution for the current circumstances. Postponing the clasico to the end of the season, he warned, could cost it part of its strength and competitive importance.
Al-Sunai cited a previous case involving Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal. The two teams played the first and second leg matches within a close time frame, but he stressed that both fixtures were actually held, and not as was claimed regarding the first leg not taking place.
Mutaib Al-Hazza criticises the delay in decisions
Mutaib Al-Hazza took the opposite view, criticising the way the scheduling file has been managed. The delay in taking the decision, he argued, reveals a crisis and a failure to prepare a backup plan to deal with developments. He pointed out that postponing the matches of Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr piled extra pressure on the teams during the coming stage.
Al-Hazza questioned just how satisfied the clubs really are with the new dates. Abdulrahman Al-Humaidi explained that only three clubs submitted objections, before opening the discussion on the timing of the postponed fixtures and the possibility of finding other solutions.
Division over the impact of the schedule on the competition
Badr Al-Saqri reckoned the league association had benefited from the postponement of the Asian Cup. He viewed Mohammed Al-Kahl's remarks about meeting 90% of the clubs' requests as a positive indicator, provided that responding to these demands does not affect the fairness of the competition between the teams.
Ahmed Al-Harbi struck a note of caution. Some clubs, he warned, could suffer technically due to the congestion of matches, especially the teams seeking to correct their situations during the winter transfer window. The role of the association and the federation, he stressed, is not to please every club.
Abdulrahman Al-Humaidi then revealed that the objection of Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah to the scheduling was linked to a request to take religious occasions and rites into account when setting match dates. The competitions department rejected both requests and held to the announced schedule.
Mohammed Al-Nasser closed by affirming that full satisfaction from all clubs over the scheduling is difficult to reach. He stressed the importance of fairness in listening to their demands and making use of recovery reports, arguing that taking the physical aspects of players into account will reflect positively on the technical level and the quality of the competition.