Stability delivering success for once trigger-happy Saudis

DOHA : Patience has rarely been a characteristic associated with football in Saudi Arabia, where 18 coaches from 10 different countries have led the national team in the last 22 years.

But in the more than three years since Herve Renard was appointed to helm the Green Falcons, the country has begun to reap the benefits of a new-found stability that extends throughout the sport in the country.

The Frenchman, hired in 2019, is Saudi Arabia's longest-serving coach over the last four decades and he has already signed a contract extension until 2027, by which time he will have been in the job for eight years.

"It doesn't happen in history to keep a coach for three years or four years," former Saudi Arabia striker Sami Al Jaber says of the mood within the country.

"If you see the professional work, everything is like a vision, they are following a vision exactly. 

"It's not like you to wake up one day, or with one result and (the coach) can be sacked or changed. There are cases (where that happens), but I see the work of the federation and the ministry of sport is really top, professional."

Saudi Arabia are appearing at the World Cup for the sixth time and the country has not passed beyond the group stage since reaching the last 16 in their debut appearance in 1994.

Last week's surprise 2-1 win over Argentina means victory over Mexico on Wednesday would take Saudi Arabia into the next round in Qatar and the Green Falcons' improved performances have come as a result of increased professionalism domestically.

That has been fostered by the authorities, with crown prince Mohammed bin Salman - known universally in Saudi Arabia as MBS and the country's de facto ruler - taking the lead.

"What happened is from what the government did, what MBS