Disappointing debut aside, Rasovic looks the man to lead Al Taawoun turnaround
Following on from last season’s success under Pericles Chamusca was always going to be a challenge for Al Taawoun, but going winless in their first seven would certainly not have been on their radar.
Losing 6-0 to Al Hilal in the final game before the international break was seemingly the last straw.
The Wolves have acted swiftly to turn around their fortunes, appointing Vuk Rasovic to replace Zarko Lazetic for the remainder of the season.
And, Sunday’s 3-0 reverse at Al Shabab aside, there are plenty of reasons for the Al Taawoun faithful to be confident the Serbian have the desired impact.
Rasovic is no stranger to the Roshn Saudi League, having previously managed both Al Faisaly and Al Fayha. His work at both clubs is reason enough to be optimistic.
In his first and only season at Al Faisaly, Rasovic guided the Al Majma’ah side to a sixth-placed finish and the King’s Cup final, losing only in extra-time to Al Ittihad. It was enough to see him named the competition’s Manager of the Season.
But it’s Rasovic’s time at Al Fayha that really stands out.
The 53-year-old spent three seasons at another Al Majma’ah-based outfit and, like he did at Al Faisaly, guided his team to success: Al Fayha defeated Al Hilal on penalties to lift 2022 King’s Cup.
To this day, it represents the only major trophy in the club’s history.
The cup earned Al Fayha qualification for the AFC Champions League, where Rasovic then guided them to the Round of 16. It marked an unprecedented level of success for a club of Al Fayha’s stature.
It illustrated, also, that Rasovic is a manager that knows how to build a team to thrive.
How he carved out the good times at Al Faisaly and Al Fayha is probably most relevant to Al Taawoun, his new employers. For, typically, Rasovic prioritises defensive solidity.
At Al Faisaly, his side conceded only 33 league goals, fewer than any side that season bar the top two. In his first campaign at Al Fayha, they conceded only 24 times to boast the best defensive record in the league.
For Al Taawoun, who are conceding close to two goals a game so far this term, that approach is exactly what they need.
But it would be too simplistic to describe Rasovic as merely defensive-minded. While that is the foundation, he likes his teams to play on the counter-attack.
“I am a former centre-back, but I love attacking football,” Rasovic said in a previous interview when coach of Partizan in his native Serbia.
“I'm primarily a coach with firm convictions, clear methods and objectives. With me, everyone knows exactly how an attack starts, where a defence ends, why they're in a certain position, who is covering for whom, and why something must or must not be done.
“I'm not a slave to tactics, but I don't like to improvise too often. For me, work rate and attitude are the most important criteria when selecting players. Anyone who is hard-working, disciplined and dies for the ball in training, and not just in matches, will get their [chance].”
Should he implement that defensive impenetrability, then finding the attacking flair shouldn’t - in theory - be an issue at Al Taawoun, who are blessed with attacking talent.
With one of the league’s all-time scoring greats now, if Rasovic can unlock Abderrazzak Hamdallah to rediscover his best, that will go a long way to relieving Al Taawoun of their current position. After eight matchweeks, they languish second last.
With three goals this season, they possess the worst attacking record in the division. But with Hamdallah, Parfait Guiagon and Marin Petkov, they do have the arsenal.
The key to it all, though, could be Albanian international Nedim Bajrami, who is yet to show his best in midfield since joining in August, on loan from Scotland’s Rangers.
As Sunday at Al Shabab showed, it’s a long way back from where they are, but the hard work begins now for Al Taawoun.
Having undoubtedly got a glimpse of the real task at hand, Rasovic has shown he’s not a man to shirk the endeavour.