Former Malta coach Ray ‘Żażu’ Farrugia takes over at Al-Ula FC in Saudi women’s top-flight

Ray Farrugia, known as iż-‘Żażu’, will resume his coaching career in Saudi Arabia as he will take over at Al-Ula FC.

Farrugia has been in talks with the Saudi club for a number of weeks now but on Monday he reached full agreement with Al-Ula FC and put pen to paper on a one-year contract, and the Saudi club have an option to extend it for another season.

This will be Farrugia’s first club since leaving the post as Malta coach in 2019, where he will be replacing Dutch coach Mary Kok-Willemsen.

Farrugia said that he was delighted to have been given the opportunity to resume his coaching career in an ambitious football country like Saudi Arabia.

“I am very happy to have accepted the offer of Al-Ula FC,” Farrugia told the Times of Malta.

“To be honest, I was not expecting to receive such an offer at this stage of my career. However, over the years I was courted by Abdullah Hamad who in 2019 had tried to take me to top Saudi club Al-Ahli in the men’s championship.

“However, at the time I was the coach of the Malta national team and I would have never turned my back to my country to move abroad so I rejected the opportunity.

“A few weeks ago, Mr. Hamad was again in touch with another opportunity to move to Al-Ula FC as he is a close associate to club president Mr. Waleed Muath and invited me to go and visit the club.”

Farrugia said that he was impressed by the club’s facilities and most importantly by its vision for the future.

“Al-Ula FC is a very ambitious club who are hoping to grow in Saudi’s football. They have a lot of belief in my ability, and I am very keen to help the club reach its objectives. I am particularly grateful to club president Mr. Waleed Muath, CEO Mr. Osama Al-Khulaifi, Team Manager Miss Samah and club administrator Miss Eda who have been very supportive since I came here.

“In the past week, the team went for a short training camp, and we are working very hard to ensure that we are ready for when the league championship resumes. Here at Al-Ula FC I have been joined by another promising Maltese coach Brian Bartolo who will be my assistant and there are 14 other members of our technical staff who are working together to ensure the team performs to its maximum of its ability.”

Farrugia said that he is hopeful that he will enjoy a successful spell in Saudi Arabia.

“I am determined to succeed here,” Farrugia said.

“And I want to be a success not just for me personally but also as I believe that if I prove myself here it could be a great opportunity to open the doors for other Maltese coaches to be given such an opportunity and come to work here.”

Al-Ula FC are currently plying their trade in Saudi’s top-flight after winning promotion in the previous season.

They are currently seventh with three points after the opening three games of the season.

At Al-Ula FC, Farrugia will have a squad composed of Saudi players and foreign internationals including Bosnia-Herzegovina pair Melisa Hasanbegovic and Selma Kapetanovic.

However, the most glamorous player in the squad is without doubt former Olympique Lyon, Arsenal and France international goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi.

In fact, Bouhaddi was named as the top goalkeeper in the women’s UEFA Champions League in 2019/2020 and was also voted as the Best FIFA goalkeeper in 2020.

They will resume their league commitments on November 8 when they take on Al-Shabab.