Development of club football in the Arab world should not depend solely and squarely on what happens in Saudi Arabia. Others must step-up!

Hello! Welcome back to?PITCHSIDE MONITOR,?your one stop guide to club management. This week we will:

• Take a closer look at the Arab Club Champions Cup
• Do a case study on Saudi Arabia and Turkey
• Hear from Abdulaziz AlQahtani
• Look at our Club Management Publication in Arabic

First up, is our section on club management.

Everyone who has any interest in football has probably heard of the UEFA Champions League , The Premier League League or even the Copa Libertadores, but which competition can claim to be the greatest unknown club tournament?

One contender could certainly be the Arab Club Champions Cup whose 2023 edition just happens to be drawing its closure later this week. So why is it that the tournament is unknown? Despite being 'unofficial', meaning that it is not an integral part of the international football calendar, this tournament is able to span two entire confederations ( Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) ) and bring together some of the best clubs from 22 nations in the Arab world, from Algeria to Yemen. The first edition of the tournament was played back in 1981, more than four decades ago. The tournament has been fairly open, with eventual champions coming from many countries within the region; the dominant ones in terms of titles being Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

Despite being under the radar for many decades, this year it seems that more people outside of the Arab world have heard about the tournament: probably because, instead of the summer friendlies of European teams for the start of their The Premier League , LALIGA or UEFA Champions League campaigns, the King Salman Club Cup (the rebranded name of the Arab Club Champions Cup), has been the only place for fans of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, or N’Golo Kanté to watch their heroes.

As more football stars make their way to Saudi Arabian clubs in the new Middle Eastern football revolution, the question we can ask ourselves is: do global football fans need to learn how to follow their favourite players and their new clubs in previously unknown competitions to them, like the Arab Club Champions Cup or the AFC Champions League? Or is this a move designed to generate a higher local interest in clubs and domestic competitions within the Arab world itself?

• If it is the former, there will be a need to generate a lot of content about these competitions in international languages, and to familiarise the global fans with new tournaments and rival teams, which could serve to boost the international visibility of football not only in Saudi Arabia, but also across the entire MENA and GCC area.
• If it is the latter, the challenge will be to ensure a level of competitive interest, in order to win (and retain!) the interest of fans in major countries like Egypt, Iraq or Morocco, and also to ensure that the smaller nations are also at competitive levels, to not generate completely one-sided results which could be a turn off, both for the fans and the teams themselves.

Another interesting issue to consider is the dominant position that Saudi Arabian club football is building for itself with the new high level player acquisition strategy. It has already jumped to become the third biggest league worldwide outside of Europe in terms of the combined squad value of its clubs, behind the Brazilian first division and Major League Soccer . It is by far the biggest domestic competition in the AFC and CAF areas combined, well ahead of rivals like the J League in Japan or the Qatar Stars League in Qatar.

Even though football had seen plenty of investment in the Kingdom, its international results, which are the only definitive way to gauge club competitiveness against its peers from other countries on the field, and, by definition, the relative strength of a domestic competition versus its regional rivals, were not overwhelming. Whilst Saudi Arabia has topped the AFC club competition ranking for the past several years, it has only produced two trophy winning teams in the AFC Champions League since 2007, and only one in the Arab Club Cup in the past 20 years. This record is likely to be rewritten this coming weekend, as there are three Saudi clubs in the semi-finals of this year’s competition, of course, and it could be a sign of things to come if all the talented players signed by Saudi clubs perform to their ability.

A case study on Turkey comparing the development of football in Saudi

It is interesting to compare the Saudi development case with that of Turkey, the country that made transformational moves in the late 80s and rode a crest of a wave on the back of it by the late 90s and beginning of 2000s. Their significant successes were also achieved due to a similar way of attracting top class players to the domestic league, which generated a positive impact on the level of the game in the country. The similarities between the Turkish and Saudi cases are based on several important factors:

1. Popularity of the game: Football is the number 1 game, as both countries have many rivalries and derbies, which is not the case when we compare Saudi Arabia to China, for example.
2. Culture and Traditions: Turkey has many shared traditions with the Middle East; here it’s similar to Qatar, but the Saudi Arabia population gave them crucial advantage over their neighbours.
3. High Population: Turkey recorded 54 million in 1990 (‘beginning of their transformation’) which is quite close to Saudi Arabia that is now reaching 36 million; this means that Turkey and Saudi Arabia are very comparable cases, unlike China with its massive population but traditionally very low interest in football.

However, Saudi Arabia also has some advantages over all of these countries, such as a very rich history of continental success in the football eco-system, with a predominance of domestic players before implementing such strategies.

1. National Team: 3 AFC Asian Cup Titles – 5 World Cup qualifications, excluding 2022.
2. Clubs: 14 Continental Championships, ( ???? ?????? ??????? - Al-Hilal Saudi Club recent achievements since 2019 are not counted).
3. Youth Teams: Countless continental and global achievements (most famous is the 1989 U17 World Cup Title.

Coming back to Turkey, we must say that their development came on the back of an organic and self-generated strategy from clubs that wanted to promote their football standards; it started from the top of the club pyramid with Galatasaray SK when they wanted to play a different style of football than the other Turkish clubs by signing the German coach Jupp Derwall in 1984. Derwall was in charge of the German National Team at their peak, winning the Euro 1980 and reaching 1982 World Cup Final. Prior to Derwall’s arrival, the main foreigners came from Yugoslavia and other Eastern Bloc countries, but the situation totally changed with his presence, as his Western European methodologies on the training field attracted big names to Galatasaray such as Didier Six, the 1984 European Champion with France. This put the club in a very unique position within Turkish football and even on the global map as they reached the 1987-88 European Championship Semi Finals, in a one of its kind achievement back then. Derwall's positive impact on the club went way beyond, as it reached other coaches like Fatih Terim, who played and developed under his supervision.

In the years that followed, many other clubs pursued the same strategy, which created the effect of raising football standards in the country, as other top players ventured to Turkey such as Jean-Marie Pfaff, Raimond Aumann, Dalian Atkinson and 1995 UCL winning pair of John Vanden Brom and Peter van Vossen. Furthermore, the league kept on continuous growth in this respect when Claudio Taffarel and Gheorghe Hagi made their moves to Galatasaray together with Stephan Kuntz, who joined Besiktas in the same transfer window.

These transformational moves represented the main engine in developing national team performance as the local players used to compete with elite players, which resulted in Turkey qualifying to Euro 1996 in England. Other key milestones were also achieved:

1. National Team Growth: Reached Euro 2000 quarterfinals and achieved bronze Medal in 2002 World Cup.
2. National Players: Many Turkish Players have played abroad and by 2002, Turkey had 10 players in top European Leagues.
3. Clubs: Galatasaray won UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 2000, beating Arsenal F.C and Real Madrid C.F. .
4. Level of Football: The league became a top destination for players around the world due to the gained attention, for old big names it was one of the best places to retire in terms of football atmosphere and remuneration, in addition to be a top stepping stone league for young footballers who were chasing a career to play at higher European levels.

Such milestones were more than adequate to grab political attention as the state in-directly started to support this development trend of ‘Foreign Players in the league’ through several ways, such as building state of the art infrastructure in the hopes to enhance football atmosphere and make it more attractive. From the other side, the league thought that the number of foreign players is the main reason of this success, so they kept on easing the restrictions on foreign players. The other side of the story is that all of these development steps were neither organised nor had any strategic framework, which meant that all the investments eventually centralised only on the senior players level, with no major investment on youth football level to guarantee sustainability of the country’s elite football standards.

Unfortunately, the negative effects of this started to be visible at a fairly late stage, as they failed to qualify for the Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006, followed by another false dawn in reaching Euro 2008 semi-finals, which became the farewell of several players from the golden generation. Since then we have not really witnessed any obvious footprint from the Turkish National team. Some factors to consider the decline are:

1. National Team: 2 Qualifications to Euro in 2016 and 2020 with group stage eliminations.
2. Youth Talents: Only one major homegrown Turkish talent since 2008: Arda Guler.
3. Clubs: Only one UCL Quarter-finals qualification for Turkish clubs since 2008: Galatasaray in 2013.
4. Clubs: One one UEFA Europa League Semi-Finals qualification for Turkish clubs since 2008: Fenerbah?e SK in 2013

Additionally, the focus on foreign players impacted negatively not only on the sports side, but also extended to the administrative side, as it promoted a 'short-term win maximisation mindset', which pushed decision makers at clubs to spend more without financial wisdom or business strategy, which put their clubs in countless debt issues, with Turkey becoming the country with the largest number of punishments due to financial issues since FFP was introduced.

Coming back to the Arab Club Champions Cup, it would have been very interesting to find out what a player like Cristiano Ronaldo thought about playing against the likes of Union Monastirienne or the Egyptian powerhouse Zamalek in the Arab Club Cup this summer, of course, there should be no European snobbery or feeling of superiority regarding any game of football between professional players, and clubs like Zamalek, Esperance Tunis or Raja Casablanca are as storied and legendary as any of their international peers in Europe or America, but for many decades, Europe has been the epicentre of professional club football, attracting the vast majority of top talents and hosting the best domestic and international competitions. So to break this hold, it will take a lot of investment and sustained work, focused not only on individuals but also on building up a reliable ecosystem of excellence, that will convince players and supporters alike that these new competitions are worth switching their attention to.

For Saudi club football to prosper in the long-term future, it is not only about signing top international players:

• they will also need the best coaches around them
• full performance and support structures that they are used to
• the best infrastructure to train, play and rest.

But all of this is under the remit and eventual control of Saudi managers and leaders, they can put all of this in place even if something is missing, as it is within their power to do so. The thing that is going to be more difficult to achieve is boosting the level of competition not only in Saudi Arabia and its domestic championship, but also within the international competitions that Saudi clubs have access to, since this will determine the potential development ceiling of top players in the Kingdom, and also the long-term attractiveness of the Saudi Pro League (SPL) for international talents who decide on their future move.

Development of club football in the Arab world should not depend solely and squarely on what happens in Saudi Arabia, though - the domestic championships in the Arab world, especially in the likes of Egypt, Morocco, Qatar or UAE, will also need to respond to the challenge and up their game if they want to continue competing and challenging at a higher level rather than becoming purely ladder leagues supplying playing and coaching talent to the SPL, a little bit like the Belgian, Croatian or Dutch leagues do in Europe in relation to the top-5 ones.

Coupled with further developments within European club football and the build-up of ventures like the African Super League, it could lead to the most varied and exciting situation for global football fans in decades!

In our Football Talks section this week, we caught up with Abdulaziz AlQahtani . Abdulaziz has been involved over a decade in the media sector including beIN SPORTS USA , and now is a dynamic figure in the sports and tech sector. Serving as the LTT Sports partner in Doha, Qatar, we discuss with Abdulaziz about the upcoming trends in the Gulf Country Council (GCC) region.

1) You have a passion for technology and football. Is it a good mix in Qatar?

Indeed, I am in the start-up business here in Doha and my passion is primarily to innovate and bring new ideas to life and love of the game. Football and start-ups define my life, and I have been a football fan for years. Living next to the Lusail Stadium, with the recent World Cup, has reinforced my perception of football and its influence, and strengthened immensely the position of Qatar in the World, making it extremely well connected in the global football environment.

2) How do you perceive the maturity of the Qatari local market and do you see the perspective of the greater potential in Saudi Arabia beyond its size?

The three leaders in the region are Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE. There's still important room for growth, and it's not just about hosting workshops. It's about fostering enduring value within these countries. With regards to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia firstly, the future of football there is transitioning. Soon, all clubs will be owned by individuals or companies through shares and IPOs, rather than the government. This presents a monumental challenge in a limited timeframe: equipping each club with the tools and knowledge to be self-sufficient. When a club is private, it must master its marketing, sales, facility and obviously club management. The revenue a club generates determines its success or failure. In contrast, Qatar is actively seeking development of the league. It's vital for clubs to transition from being reliant on government funding to being self-sufficient and professional. There is a need to groom professionals who can lead clubs effectively in Qatar and across the region but this requires a very high set of skills and specific educational knowledge.

3) Do you believe a pan-Arab club competition, like the Arab Club Champions Cup, could become globally influential, especially with some of the world's top players participating with their Saudi clubs? Additionally, how would you characterise the current sports sponsorship dynamics in Qatar and the broader MENA region from a Qatari perspective?

Discussing Arab teams and leagues, it's evident that Saudi Arabia has been at the forefront. Even before major stars like Ronaldo and Benzema arrived, for the past two decades, Saudi Arabia has been the benchmark for Arab football. Following Saudi Arabia, we see Egypt as a significant player. However, the rankings tend to fluctuate rapidly for other nations. Countries like Qatar, UAE, Morocco, and Tunisia aren't as consistent. Historically, Kuwait had one of the strongest club and national team presences, but their current position varies. There's a non-official tournament for GCC teams, also including Iraq and Yemen, where historically dominant teams have been Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Qatar has been a dominant player in the GCC. Broadly, Saudi Arabia and Egypt remain on top, with other countries fluctuating based on infrastructure and performance. In football, Qatar boasts impressive infrastructure, from stadiums to media capabilities, making it a key player in the region.

4) Can markets like Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia be effectively targeted through domestic or Arab football, or is the path to these audiences primarily through global giants like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, PSG, or the Champions League? Is it feasible to engage domestic Arabic audiences through their local football or pan-Arab club football?

Despite the buzz in the Kingdom, the road is still long to create a tradition. While there's potential, it doesn't match the scale or the reach one can achieve with powerhouses like Real Madrid or other significant clubs. We're still evolving in this aspect, so for impactful market reach, we must target the bigger clubs.

5)Given that fans of Cristiano Ronaldo previously watched him in clubs like Real Madrid, Juventus, or Manchester United, and now they need to watch Al-Nassr and the Arab Club Cup to see him play, do you see this as a commercial opportunity outside of GCC?

The increased attention is hopefully not temporary. In the past, players of Ronaldo's stature would typically be seen in renowned tournaments for clubs like Real Madrid or Juventus. Now, to watch Ronaldo or Benzema, fans from around the world have to turn to the Arab club cup. If this trend continues and more top-tier players join, top managers might also be attracted to the league. The visibility of a club like Al-Nassr has skyrocketed because of Ronaldo. However, it can be ephemeral and therefore clubs need to have a plan, a local strategy to build on that. For instance, Al-Nassr is well-known today and you can see its shirts also in European towns and cities, but post-Ronaldo, its popularity might diminish.

In terms of marketing opportunities, the opportunity is probably not for overseas brands to reach the domestic market in the Middle East, but more for our clubs to project themselves internationally, and also for some of our brands to do the same. Primarily, entertainment and tourism companies, especially in Saudi Arabia, stand to gain the most. Saudi Arabia is ardently promoting its tourism and wants to show it is a great destination, whilst other tourism-related brands like Qatar Airways or Emirates have been engaged in sport sponsorship for a long time, and are very well known in the likes of Europe.

6) What are the goals for the GCC Countries in terms of visibility worldwide?

Currently, our primary economic driver is oil and gas. Our aim is to diversify our income sources, reducing dependency on energy. We're investing heavily in positioning this region as a hub akin to Silicon Valley. Especially in Saudi Arabia, there's a concerted effort to attract major companies across sectors to generate jobs and foster development. Tourism is one significant aspect of this strategy. At the moment, there are quite a number of technological companies and start-ups working in our region, but for the time being most of the technology is oriented on serving the local consumer needs. Services are not being exported globally yet, because we are still in the process of setting up the ecosystem. But within 5-10 years the world will start to see a lot of products, especially in tech, coming out of the Gulf region, inshallah.

*The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman

In our Bottom-49 section this week, we would like to invite your attention to the infographic below, highlighting the top countries from which players go to the respectively mentioned domestic leagues in the season 2022/23.

A few notes on the above analysis.

• Saudi Arabia and Turkey have similar culture as such there is a higher success rate for players to adapt
• Egypt - The U20 registration rules allow unlimited number of young players regardless of their nationality, which pushed many teams to sign young African players, aiming to sell them at higher prices and generate revenue.
• UAE - Players moving from Saudi to the Emirates is dependent on rejections from top Saudi teams, and due to their capability to perform at a lower competitive league but at a similar atmosphere

Can you find the reasoning why there is a good amount of movement between the following?

• The Turkish, Egyptian and Moroccan leagues with Qatar
• The Algerian League and the Tunisian league
• The Tunisian league and Libian league

Let us know your thoughts in the comments of this newsletter!

In our Football Insights section this week, we would like to the share a teaser for our upcoming Club Management Publication in Arabic. Stay tuned to our LinkedIn handle for more information on this and we happy to provide guidance!

Contact us to know more about the club management guide and how it can be useful for your club!

We recently asked you, ?"Which country has the second highest number of clubs represented in the AFC Continental cups, with 9 in total, in the last decade?" The correct answer to this question is UAE.

We would like to highlight our work, the Team Manager Development Scheme, this week. Professional sports clubs have increasingly large budgets and the influence of sport on the world economy is even greater. As such, sports organisations require appropriate management and their managers should have unique knowledge and skills. Our objective here is to deliver a first class Team Management course to our partners. More details on how we achieve this can be read here.

We're excited to announce a new partnership with?Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca?University! This Autumn,?LTT Sports?will provide a series of lectures and practical sessions in?Milan, covering strategic management, and HR in football clubs more. We're thrilled to share our expertise with?MASPES - Master in Management dello Sport e degli Eventi Sportivi?and foster the growth of aspiring professionals in the sports industry.

That brings us to the end of this week’s newsletter. We hope you found eye-opening insights from our content this week. Each week, we will be curating exclusive content for you from the club management ecosystem. So, stay tuned for more and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter?here!

LTT Sports is an advisory firm focused on connecting football strategy and operations based on experience, analysis and a strong network. At LTT Sports, we have created a set of services for football organisations, providing transversal solutions at any level of the professional football pyramid – to boost performance off the pitch, directly impacting on-pitch results.

*** Disclaimer: LTT Sports is an independent think tank aimed to be a platform of discussion amongst football stakeholders. The answers received for our interviews are personal views of the interviewee and/ or the organisation he or she may represent and strictly do not represent our views on the subject matter.

Contributors to this week's newsletter:?Olivier Jarosz,?Konstantin Kornakov,? Fathi Abou El Gadaiel

Editor: Ajay Abraham