Mohamed Noor has opened fire on Al-Ittihad's German coach Jens Fiessing after a heavy 4-1 defeat to the UAE's Al-Ain in the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite. The club legend tore into his technical choices and the way he managed the match.
Speaking on the "Nadina" programme, Noor said Fiessing began the encounter with a poor line-up. He pointed to recurring concerns over the style of play, chiefly the decision to field Mohannad Al-Shanqeeti at left-back despite his struggles from the outset on the right flank.
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The Al-Ittihad on show against Al-Ain was "not a pleasant sight", he added. The team remain in the building phase, yet the coach approached the match like a competitive outfit, ignoring the shortcomings the Dean currently suffers from.
Starting the Dutchman Gini Wijnaldum also drew Noor's ire. He branded it an unsound choice, then aimed his criticism straight at Fiessing, saying the coach is "deceived about some players so far".
Those remarks throw open the debate over the German's choices. A harsh defeat on home soil has cranked up the pressure on the technical staff and raised fresh questions about whether Fiessing can fix the team's problems in the weeks ahead.