RIYADH: Al-Shabab’s search for a coach ended this week with the Riyadh club appointing Spain’s Vicente Moreno on a one-season contract.
The former Mallorca and Espanyol boss has been charged with improving on the fourth-place finish from the last campaign. The 47-year-old has been a free agent since May when he was dismissed by Espanyol, just a season after leading the team into La Liga from the second division.
His record was strong enough to tempt offers from other second-tier clubs in Spain, but Al-Shabab’s offer was the one that earned his signature.
Marcos Delgado, of Madrid-based football data analyst Driblab, has seen Moreno up close and knows what Al-Shabab fans can expect from a coach who likes to play 4-3-2-1. “Historically, he is a coach that likes to have teams with a strong defense,” Delgado told Arab News, referring to his three prior promotions. “The defense has been the key part of his great performance in the second division.