Hierro: If We Had Hired a Portuguese Coach, They Would Say Ronaldo Was Running the Show

On the evening of September 19th, Fernando Hierro, the sporting director of Al Nassr, stated during the unveiling press conference of new coach Gennaro Gattuso that the club had acted “professionally” when dismissing their previous coach, Luis Castro, and elaborated on the reasons for appointing Italian coach Gattuso as his successor, while also promising to give Gattuso “full support.”

Regarding the change in coaching, Hierro explained, “If we had chosen a Spanish coach, fans would think it was my personal decision; if an Italian coach, they would see it as Guido’s (the executive director of the club) choice; and if a Portuguese coach, they would assume it was for Cristiano Ronaldo. I am pleased with Gattuso’s arrival, this was a collective decision, most importantly considering what is best for Al Nassr. After careful consideration, I selected Gattuso from ten candidates.”

Hierro also said, “Luis Castro is a very professional coach, and we are grateful for everything he has done for the club. In football, there is often no perfect time to change coaches, but we handled it professionally.”

Hierro added, “At Al Nassr, the final decision rests with me because I am the sporting director. Often, we need to wait for the right moment to make decisions, and we did not dismiss Castro prematurely, but waited for the appropriate time.”

Hierro emphasized, “For me, the most important thing is to think about the future of Al Nassr. Gattuso’s arrival brings positive signals, and we will fully support him. Gattuso not only has extensive experience, having coached top clubs like AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Lazio, but his football philosophy resonates with me. My team and I chose Gattuso because we value his strengths and his adaptability to coaching in Saudi Arabia.”