The Almería project with Turki Al Sheikh

Last update 1 June, 2022 por Alberto Llopis

Seven years have had to pass for the Almeria returns to First. The Andalusian team got a draw on the last day of the season against Leganés (2-2) in Butarque that, added to the defeat of Eibar in discount against Alcorcón (1-0), granted him a return to the highest category. A rise with two protagonists: Turkish Al-Sheikh and Joan Francesc Ferrer Sicilia better known as ‘Ruby‘

The technician, Ruby, He has broken all schemes on the Almería bench, getting out of the dynamic in which the club had been submerged for years. A change of script propitiated by the trust that has been granted Turkish Al-Sheikh. The manager bought the club for 20 millones de euros en el verano de 2019, since then everything changed.

The revolution of Almería de Al-Sheikh

The also advisor to the Royal Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took pains to place the Andalusian team in the elite of Spanish football through three fundamental pillars. First of all, in the sports field. Turki landed in Almería with a premise: make the team strong with the aim of achieving promotion within three years.

Secondly, through facilities. Al-Sheikh set out to create top facilities, reforming the Stadium and building a new Sports City at the level of the one that teams like Manchester City have. By last, and perhaps the most important, winning over people, making a great social impact in the community. For it, organized free concerts in the city, it is included, in the first matches at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, raffled off luxury cars at half-time in matches.

2019/2020 y 2020/2021: A story that repeats itself

In that first season at the helm of the club many new faces arrived, like Darwin Núñez or José Carlos Lazo, to form what would be a more than exciting team, of those who invite you to dream. Sin embargo, rushes and, despite being in positions of direct promotion, dismisses Pedro Manuel after three consecutive defeats.

The well-known former Real Madrid footballer, little, It was the hand that picked up that relay. But history repeated itself and some unsatisfactory results, in what is considered one of the tightest leagues, led to a substitution of the former Real Madrid player despite having qualified for the Playoff. A promotion to First that they played under the command of the subsidiary coach against Girona and that they ended up losing.

In the second season there is more patience with José Manuel Gomes and his project, consolidated the base of stars like Umar Sadiq or Alex Centelles. Sin embargo, again a poor performance in consecutive days leads Almería to get out of promotion positions and qualify for the playoff. José Gomes passes the baton to Rubi in a fight for the first category again against Girona who end up losing one more year.

2021/22: The project is finally consolidated

The key to the instability of the Indal team is the constant change of coach. Not giving confidence to a coach to try to lead the team towards the goal has harmed everyone, since no one had time to build a project. Something indispensable that Turki realizes and leads him to keep Rubi.

Betting on a specific coach, Al Sheikh gives total confidence to the coach. A spectacular orchestra director like Rubi, It is worth remembering that Espanyol qualified for Europe.

Además, another of the great successes that have made the difference with the rest of the candidates to leave the silver category has been the transfer market. Almería has opted for players in line with what the team needed. Some signings with experience and ambition.

Al-Sheikh's limit?

Now it only remains to know what is the limit of Saudi Arabia. Everything indicates that it will not stop investing, therefore, in the short term, the objective will be permanence, settle the team in the First Division. In the long term, it may be to enter European competitions, who knows. With Turki anything can happen.