Al-Hilal miss out on landing Quique Sanchez Flores as their new coach

Quique Sanchez Flores was being tipped to take over at Al-Hilal. (AFP).
Updated 02 May 2018
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Al-Hilal miss out on landing Quique Sanchez Flores as their new coach

  • Spaniard was sounded out about replacing Ramon Diaz
  • But the 53-year-old has rejected the offer and Al-Hilal's search goes on

Quique Sanchez Flores has turned down the chance to coach Al-Hilal, Arab News can exclusively reveal.
The former Valencia and Atletico Madrid coach, who left Espanyol last week, was high on the shortlist of candidates to replace Ramon Diaz who was fired in February. The Spaniard was contacted by football intermediaries to see if he fancied taking on the job of coaching the biggest team in the Kingdom and reports in the media suggest he was close to agreeing a deal with the Asian Champions League runners-up.
But sources close to Sanchez Flores have told us this afternoon he is not interested in coaching in Saudi Arabia and turned down the invitation to even discuss the role with the Al-Hilal board.
Sanchez Flores does have experience of working in the Middle East having coached in the UAE with Al-Ahli and Al-Ain and would have ticked a lot of boxes. He could definitely have asked his trusty assistants Antonio Diaz Carlavilla and Alberto Giraldez to come with him. But the 53-year-old has, we are told, no desire to return to the region at this stage of his career and uproot his four children who are settled back in Spain after a season in England when he coached Premier League club Watford. Sanchez Flores also turned down the chance to coach Stoke City earlier this year.
Missing out on Sanchez Flores will represent a blow for the Al-Hilal board who are still searching for Diaz’s replacement — more than two months after parting company with the Argentine.

Juan Ignacio Brown was placed in caretaker charge of the team and he ensured Al-Hilal went onto clinch the Saudi Pro League title on the final day, but the 40-year-old Argentine is not thought to be in the running to land the job on a permanent basis and the fact the board sounded out Sanchez Flores, who won the Europa League with Atletico Madrid, would suggest they are setting their sights on a top-level coach.

Juande Ramos was linked with the vacancy as soon as Diaz was fired, but there appears to have been no move to recruit the Spaniard, despite him being out of work since December 2016.


Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves

Updated 04 March 2026
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Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves

  • Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future

LONDON: Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolves as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the Premier League’s bottom club on Tuesday.
Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux.
Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November.
But Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool.
It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017.
Liverpool have conceded 14 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, with only Newcastle shipping more in the same period in the Premier League.
The Reds remain fifth but their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League have been hurt by a defeat that means sixth-placed Chelsea will go above them if they beat Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future.
This was the first of Liverpool’s two trips to Molineux in the space of four days, with an immediate chance for revenge in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday.
Slot this week said he no longer finds Premier League matches a “joy to watch” due to the rise in set-piece goals, and Liverpool supporters took no pleasure from this dismal performance.
Wolves and Liverpool fans joined in a sustained round of applause on 18 minutes in memory of Diogo Jota, who wore that shirt number during his time at Molineux before joining the Reds.
Portugal forward Jota died in a car crash in Spain last year.

Crest-fallen Slot

That emotional tribute seemed to suck the energy from both teams in a scrappy first half.
Liverpool were punished for their lethargy in the 78th minute.
Tolu Arokodare got away with a nudge on Virgil van Dijk to win the ball before playing a superb pass to Rodrigo Gomes, who held off Ibrahima Konate and guided a clinical finish past Alisson Becker.
Liverpool finally awoke from their slumber after that shock, grabbing an equalizer in the 83rd minute with a helping hand from Wolves.
Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was guilty of a woeful pass that Salah intercepted, racing into the area for a shot that eluded Jose Sa’s weak attempted save.
Salah has scored just eight goals — five in the league — during a turbulent season.
Liverpool were still creaky at the back and Andre pounced on Alisson’s poor clearance four minutes to steal the points in stoppage-time.
Andre’s powerful strike deflected off Liverpool defender Joe Gomez and looped over the wrong-footed Alisson as Wolves boss Rob Edwards sprinted down the touchline in a wild celebration while Slot looked on crestfallen.
Wolves are 11 points from safety with eight games left and relegation remains almost certain despite this memorable victory.
Everton ended their dismal home form and pushed Burnley closer to relegation with a 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Buoyed by their 3-2 win at Newcastle last weekend, Everton dispatched second-bottom Burnley with their first win in eight home league matches.
Former Burnley defender James Tarkowski put Everton in front with a powerful header from James Garner’s 32nd minute free-kick.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled Everton’s advantage on the hour taking Iliman Ndiaye’s pass and clipping a composed finish past Martin Dubravka from six yards.
Everton remain in contention for a European berth, while Burnley are eight points from safety with just nine games left.
Habib Diarra’s penalty fired Sunderland to a 1-0 victory against Leeds on their first Premier League visit to Elland Road since 2002.
Bournemouth and Brentford shared a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium that did little to improve either side’s hopes of qualifying for Europe.